Don't Make Him Cry
by Nicky T
Summary: *complete* Shonen-ai - While summoning Ifrit, something goes wrong and Seifer is zapped into an alternate universe. Will he fall in love with his new commander, Rufus Shinra?
1. Chapter One

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
  
  
  
Dedicated to: Kitsune. The poor girl needed ficcies!  
  
Notes; Eg... I've never written FF8 in third person.  
. I bet this is just horrible. The tenses all  
screwed up and all that shit. *sigh* Forgive me. This  
chapter is split into parts. (Yeah, as crazy as that  
sounds, it's true. So sue me) And I -did- say I'd post  
more tonight, so I'm posting the first part. :P So  
there. I'll post the others when I can, which doesn't  
look like anytime soon since I'm leaving tomorrow or  
the day after (not sure yet). Anyway. I should really  
shut up.  
  
Pairing: None yet.  
  
PS: Yes. this will be a FF7/8 crossover. . Just hope  
I do it well. *holds breath*  
  
  
=Chapter One - Dreamer=  
  
  
-1-  
  
  
In that brief moment, between dreams and awareness,  
that's where he saw him. Every morning as the fogs of  
Morpheus gently lifted, the vision came upon him. The  
man in his vision was always bathed in white. Rufus  
could never get a clear look at the man's face, but he  
was aware of bright, blue eyes and golden hair. The  
man would look at him, quietly, always quietly. And  
then the vision would fade and awareness would thrust  
itself upon him, quite violently.   
  
He didn't mind the dreams, and he didn't mind the  
vision, it was the waking that bothered him. The  
dreams were sometimes fun, sometimes sweet, but mostly  
good. And the vision was.. strange, but it left him  
feeling warm. Reality... reality always left him cold  
and angry. Everything about his reality disgusted him.  
  
But, despite this, he did have to get up. So, with a  
groan, and a sigh, he let the last remnants of the  
vision fade and he opened his eyes. Everything was as  
it should be. He was lying on a hard cot, in the  
middle of a large tent that stunk a lot like urine. He  
crinkled his nose up and sighed again. War was a  
bitch.   
  
Because of this stupid war he had to sleep in this  
rotted tent every night. It was times like these, his  
hair feeling like it had permanently bonded with dirt  
and grunge, that he wished he really had died when  
Midgar was destroyed.  
  
It had been close. Real close. But fate and those damn  
Turks kept him alive. He'd get them back for that  
someday. Sick bastards.  
  
During Cloud's fateful battle with Sephiroth, he had  
been in a coma. When he awoke, the Turks were there.  
At first they talked about re-instating him as  
President Shinra. But that wouldn't work. Shinra was  
gone. Midgar was destroyed. So Rufus told them to  
'bloody well bugger off', and he joined society. Which  
wasn't easy. But it worked... until just a few months  
ago.   
  
Hojo was not dead. Or, rather, his legacy wasn't.  
Sephiroth was not his only son. He had another, Tsui.  
And Tsui was just as messed up in the head as his  
father. Soon Hojo's monsters began to reappear in  
force. Only now, they were angrier, and deadlier.  
  
An army was formed, as was a government. It was named  
AVALANCHE, in honor of the ones who saved the world.  
Shortly after the army was formed Rufus joined up. He  
used a different name and disguised himself by wearing  
glasses. Hey! It worked for Superman. No one  
recognized him, but then he hadn't expected them to.  
Not many people saw Rufus Shinra when Shinra was in  
power. And that worked to his favor.  
  
He had never been a soldier before. He knew how to  
fight, yes. He was quite adept at fighting, but  
fighting on a battlefield was nothing like the  
controlled fights he'd been in. He caught on quickly  
and soon rose in rank. Enough so that he had his own  
tent, thank god. He hated sleeping in group tents.  
  
With another sigh he stretched and shook his head to  
clear his head. He hated mornings. Almost as much as  
he hated Hojo. No wait... yeah... he hated mornings  
more.  
  
"Ruf! HEY RUF!"  
  
Rufus flinched at the name. When signing up he'd  
panicked when they asked for his name. So he told them  
his name was Ruf Ra. God, it was awful. But he had  
been under a great deal of stress and everyone was  
entitled to their moments of complete stupidity. That  
had been his.  
  
"WHAT?" He yelled back, getting out of the bed and  
stretching his legs.  
  
The one who had screamed at him, Private Gatt, poked  
his head into Rufus' tent. "Morning sleepy head," he  
grinned easily. In truth he didn't know Rufus well and  
the stoic, hot-headed Lieutenant made him nervous as  
hell, but he'd never show it. "Glad to see you've  
decided to get up."  
  
"What do you want Gatt?" Rufus growled, running a  
quick through his hair and grimacing as he felt the  
slimey texture of his once luxurious locks. Being on  
the battlefield for three weeks did horrible things to  
your hair.  
  
"Meeting. General's called a meeting." Gatt responded  
through suddenly dry lips. As he stared at Rufus he  
saw, for the first time, just how beautiful the man  
was. He'd never noticed before, mostly because he  
hadn't been paying attention.  
  
"I'll be there in a sec." Rufus waved his hand to  
dismiss Gatt. He started to gather his things when he  
noticed Gatt still hovering in the tent's entrance. He  
turned to Gatt with narrowed eyes.  
  
Gatt made a soft squeaking noise, "Uh! Yeah. K. See  
you there!" Gatt quickly darted out of the tent.  
  
Rufus sighed and shook his head. "I'm surrounded by  
morons." He muttered as started putting on his belts.  
Two. One for his pistol, and the other for the shotgun  
he wore strapped to his back. He pulled on his jacket  
and sat down to pull on his boots.  
  
"But... who's the bigger moron? The moron? Or the  
moron who hangs out with the morons?" Rufus smiled to  
himself. When his mother was alive she used to make  
comments like that all the time. Comments that made  
you wonder and comments that made you smile.  
Sometimes, comments that just made you shake your head  
with a patient smile.  
  
He liked to think he was like his mother. From what he  
remembered about her.. she was really great. His smile  
faded as he thought of his father. It was because of  
his father that his mother was dead. He knew he was  
like his father, and he hated himself for it.  
  
With a vicious tug he tied the boots and got to his  
feet.  
  
"Knock 'em dead Rufie boy." He sneered, imitating the  
voice of his first weapon's instructor.  
  
"Knock 'em dead."  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
-1.2-  
  
  
Seifer turned just in time to see it happen. He was  
the only one who saw, and strangely enough, as much as  
he hated Rinoa, when that creature thrust one of it's  
many talons into her heart he felt his world stop. No  
one noticed as she looked down, moving in slow motion,  
or so it seemed to him. He was the only one who saw  
her smile. A small, weak smile. And then she fell and  
Seifer found himself running, towards her.  
  
He dropped to his knees by her side, screaming for a  
medic. But the battle was hot and no one heard. She  
stared up at him, that smile still on her lips. "Just  
relax." He muttered, "I don't have any cure spells  
but.."  
  
She reached up and pressed her hand against his cheek.  
"I'll be all right." She whispered.  
  
/Yeah right. You've got a huge gaping hole in your  
chest, but you'll be all right./ Seifer thought,  
unable to stop the sneer that curved his lip. "If you  
die here and we don't get the phoenix to you fast  
eno-"  
  
She pressed her fingers against his mouth. "Sh." She  
murmured softly. "You worry about yourself."  
  
Seifer noticed that she was starting to tremble.  
"You're going into shock." He muttered, ripping off  
his jacket and carefully laying it over her. /Why am I  
doing this?/ He wondered as he watched himself treat  
her so gently.  
  
"Behind you..Look out!" Rinoa gasped, her eyes  
widening with horror.  
  
Seifer whirled around, the gunblade in his hand  
arching high. He judged correctly and the blade sliced  
through a talon that had been reaching out to grab  
him. He got to his feet with an angry cry and charged  
at the creature.   
  
Slash.  
  
Slash.  
  
Jab. The sharp blade slipped easily into the  
creature's chest. Seifer grinned as the creature let  
out a terrified cry. Then he pulled the trigger. The  
creature screamed as it's chest was ripped open.  
Seifer stumbled back. He watched as the creature fell.  
Then he turned and hurried back to Rinoa. "Squall."  
She whispered as Seifer kneeled beside her, "Help  
Squall."  
  
"Dammit Riona. -You're- the one who needs help."  
  
"Please." She whispered.  
  
He shook his head once, then got to his feet and raced  
across the field to where Squall and the others were  
battling. Squall glanced up as Seifer rushed towards  
them. His eyes hardened, but he didn't speak. "Don't  
fail me now." Seifer whispered, twirling his gunblade  
and lifting it before him. He closed his eyes and  
summoned Ifrit, the GF Quistis gave him months ago  
when she found out he had none.  
  
The world whited out. He was dimly aware of Ifrit's  
attack but he could not see it. The attack ended and  
Ifrit returned to him. He blinked several times as the  
world righted itself. Only... it wasn't right.  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
-1.3-  
  
  
Rinoa watched as Seifer summoned Ifrit. As always,  
when a GF was summoned the person who was summoning,  
along with his allies, faded. No one knew where they  
went, but some believed that they went to rest  
temporarily where the GF's themselves lived. If they  
didn't fade they too would be killed by the GF's  
attack. She didn't fade, she was too far away from the  
heat of the battle. She watched Ifrit attack, and then  
disappear. She watched as Squall, Irvine and Quistis  
reappeared. But.. no Seifer. Her eyes widened and she  
tried to sit up.  
  
She scanned the area quickly, but he was no where. She  
couldn't see him at all. With a soft gasp she pressed  
her fist to her mouth. /Seifer? Where are you?/ She  
wondered. Her heart was beating so fast it almost  
hurt. She pressed her hands against her wound and lay  
back. She watched the battle anxiously, waiting for  
Seifer to show up. But he never did.  
  
And she was left to wonder what happened.  
  
  
***********************  



	2. Chapter Two

Notes: Heh. I know nothing about war or battles. .  
But I guess you'll see that soon enough. ^-^ This  
chapter is just me being weird so uh... heh. Have  
fun... I guess.   
  
  
  
  
=Chapter Two - Buzzy Little Bee=  
  
  
2.1  
  
  
Buuuuzzzzzzzzz.  
  
Rufus eyed the little bastard as it circled his head.  
The buzzing was driving him insane. If the little bug  
was just flying around his head it wouldn't bug him in  
the least, but that buzzing! Very slowly, and  
carefully, he drew his pistol.   
  
Buuuuuzzzzzzzz.  
  
BANG!  
  
Buuzz-  
  
Rufus smiled as the tiny body of the bug was blown to  
tiny little pieces. The buzzing stopped immediately  
and he sheathed his pistol, feeling quite satisfied  
with himself. He really hated bu-  
  
Buuuuuzzzzzz.  
  
He narrowed his eyes with a hiss. Angrily he swatted  
the area around his face. He succeeded only in  
creating a breeze. "Oh yeah. Fear me or I'll create a  
big wind and knock you over." Rufus grumbled with no  
little amount of self-hatred. He shoved the pistol  
into it's holster violently and got to his feet.  
  
It was the ringing that first alerted his attention,  
and then a high pitched squeal and then-  
  
BANG!  
  
He was thrown back several feet as 'something'  
exploded several feet from where he was standing. The  
once quiet camp exploded into action as soldiers came  
pouring out of their tents. As Rufus got to his feet,  
he felt a smile curve his lips. So much for that  
damned bug. It was either dead, or flying like the  
bees of hell were on it's tail. He felt strangely  
thankful to whatever had blown up. What -had- blown  
up? He frowned as his eyes scanned what -had- been his  
campfire. "Shit." He muttered.  
  
"What happened?" A soldier ran to Rufus' side. He had  
a saber in one hand, the other hand was clenched into  
a tight fist as he gazed at the huge hole in the  
ground where a small hill had been just moments  
before.   
  
"I'm not su-" Rufus stopped when he heard a very  
familiar ringing sound. "RUN!" He cried, his eyes  
going to the sky. He could see nothing.  
  
But, as he stared up, just as the squeal started, he  
saw the briefest flash of light. /What is that?/ He  
wondered, as the soldier grabbed his arm and pulled  
him away. They both dove to the ground, covering their  
heads.   
  
BANG!  
  
The explosion felt like an earthquake. Rufus felt  
intense heat touch his back. He felt hands slapping  
him, hard. "What the fuck are you doing?!" He  
screamed, rolling over.  
  
"Your back is on fire!" The soldier cried. He picked  
up his saber and rushed to his feet. "Where are they?  
Who's firing on us?"  
  
Rufus didn't pay attention to the panicked soldier. He  
was too busy doing his impression of a snake on the  
ground as he rubbed his back against the grass. The  
heat faded a bit and he rolled to his stomach. "Am I  
still on fire?"  
  
But the soldier ignored him. More men were gathering  
around. They chattered nervously amongst themselves as  
they gazed up at the sky. Rufus grunted in disgust and  
he got to his feet. "Guess I'm not." He muttered  
grumpily.  
  
He stilled as a pungeant odor filled his nostrils. He  
sniffed the air, nearly vomitting as the stench grew  
stronger. /What the hell?/ Then it dawned on him. His  
eyes flew to the trees. He squinted, staring at the  
leaves. For the longest time he saw nothing and then..  
something moved.  
  
Something that was definately not part of the tree.  
"They're in the trees!" He screamed, just as the  
squealing started.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
2.2  
  
  
There's a space, shortly after you summon a Guardian  
Force, where you lost consciousness. It's very quick,  
it hardly lasts a second, but it's just long to  
disorient a person. Especially when that person hasn't  
properly focused before summoning the GF. When Seifer  
found himself standing atop a table, in the middle of  
a bar, he was sure that somewhere along the line, he  
had hit his head hard and entered Wonderland.  
  
The bar was full of people. The air was thick with  
uncirculated, stale air. But it was strangely quiet.  
Probably because he was standing on a table with his  
sword raised. All eyes were on him, and all weapons  
were pointed his direction. Slowly, he lowered the  
sword. "What the hell is this?" A voice cried angrily.  
  
/That's what I'd like to know./ Seifer thought as he  
scanned the crowd. /How did I get here?/ He decided  
that he must have blacked out. That still didn't  
explain how he ended up here, wherever here was, but  
it was a start. "Is he part of the entertainment?" A  
waitress peered up at him, her wide eyes slightly  
unfocused.  
  
"He's probably one of Tsui's spies!"  
  
"Let's kill him!"  
  
"WAIT!" A voice bellowed just when Seifer was starting  
to get worried.   
  
The crowd grew silent as a figure made it's way to the  
table. "Come down from there." A deep, cultured voice  
ordered.  
  
After a brief hesitation Seifer climbed off the table.  
He sheathed his sword, to show his good intentions,  
and faced the man squarely. The man was dressed in a  
crisp, very clean uniform. His shiny black hair was  
pulled back in a severe pony tail, and his eyes were  
covered by a pair of dark glasses that were pushed  
ridiculously high. The man studied Seifer silently  
for a moment, "Are you working for Tsui?" He asked,  
his voice sharp and quick.  
  
"No." Seifer responded immediately.  
  
"Hm." The man reached up and rubbed his chin. "Are you  
allied with anyone?"  
  
"Balamb. SeeD."  
  
"Never heard of 'em." The man dropped his hands and  
tilted his head. "What's your name?"  
  
"Almasy."  
  
"Well, Almasy," The man held out his hand, "My name is  
General Calmay."  
  
Seifer shook the man's hand.   
  
"Welcome to the Avalanche army."  
  
"What?" Seifer stared at the man in surprise.  
  
Calmay just smiled smugly and turned, "Truss him up  
boys! We're heading back to camp as soon as I'm done  
my drink."  
  
"Wait just one min-"  
  
Seifer was cut short as something hard connected with  
the back of his head. He slumped to the ground, his  
ears ringing so loudly, and the pain so intense that  
he didn't hear the laughter and he didn't feel the  
hands ripping off his clothes.  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
2.3  
  
  
Rufus couldn't catch his breath. The battle had been  
intense, WAY too intense for his liking. He glanced  
down, his uniform was stained with blood. So badly  
that it looked more dark red, then purple. Which was  
an improvement. He hated magic users. He really,  
really hated magic users. Especially mutated, mako  
infused magic users. They were a royal pain in the  
rear. Almost worse than bugs. Buzzy bugs. He HATED  
buzzy bugs.   
  
He sucked in his breath and held it. He could only  
hold it for a few seconds before he opened his mouth  
and gasped vainly for air. /C'mon. Calm down./ He  
urged himself. But adreneline was running hot through  
his veins. He couldn't calm down. He wanted to keep  
fighting. Too bad they had already killed all the  
bastards.  
  
"The general is going to kill us."   
  
Rufus looked up at this comment and for the first time  
he took a look around. The camp was gone. What was  
left were a few scrap pieces of tent, and a huge,  
charred, hole. Gawd. The general would kill them when  
he saw what happened to his precious camp. They'd been  
camped here for three months. The general finally  
decides to go into town for a night off, and.. Rufus  
resisted the urge to laugh. It -was- amusing. It  
really was. In a sick, twisted sort of way.   
  
"Here he comes!" The soldiers scrambled, trying to fix  
things up so they didn't look quite so bad. Which was  
a wasted effort. There was nothing left of their  
supplies.  
  
Rufus watched with amusement as, within the space of  
two, maybe three minutes, a make-shift tent was put up  
using rifles and those stray pieces of tent. /Gawd...  
who recruited these morons?/  
  
Then he heard the chocobos. He looked up and watched  
as the general and a handful of his right hand men  
rode onto the scene. Rufus could see the general's  
face from here. He watched as his look changed from  
uninterested to disbelieving. "What the hell is  
this?!" The general shouted, "I left this morning to  
an orderly camp, and I return to chaos!! WHERE IS MY  
CAMP!?"  
  
"We had incoming sir!" Rufus called out, unable to  
hide the laughter in his voice. "Buzzy bees!"  
  
The general turned to look at Rufus. Buzzy bees was  
the term used for Tsui's newest creations. They were  
human sized creatures, with human eyes, but bug  
bodies. Their attacks were mainly magic in nature.  
Their most common attack was to spit balls from their  
tails that had the force of any grenade. They were  
devious, intelligent and loud. Today had been the  
first time they'd ever snuck up on General Calmay's  
regiment.  
  
"Buzzy.. bees." The general repeated slowly, "How the  
hell did they do this?"  
  
"We didn't hear them coming sir. They launched a sneak  
attack." Pent rushed up to Rufus' side. Rufus glanced  
at him, wondering how the soldier managed to sound so  
deadpan.  
  
"You didn't hear.. them coming?" The general shook his  
head, "Gawd! You morons! Who can NOT hear them coming?  
They're louder than the seven hounds of hell!"  
  
"Seven?" Rufus muttered under his breath.  
  
Pent bit his lip to stop himself from cracking a  
smile. "Wait! I don't want to know! I don't want to  
hear about it." The general said with a sigh. "I want  
a tent setup. You've got twenty minutes to gather the  
supplies that remain. NOW GO!"  
  
The soldiers scattered to obey the general's orders.  
"RUF!"  
  
Rufus flinched, like he did everytime he heard his  
'name' being called. "Yes sir!" He saluted as the  
general rode up to him. "We have a new recruit. Show  
him the ropes."  
  
Rufus nodded, resisting the urge to glower. He was  
-not- a babysitter. "Bring him over here. Ruf will  
take care of him." the general waved behind him, then  
kicked his chocobo in the side and rode off.  
  
A soldier bounced up to Rufus and dropped a  
human-shaped body at his feet. He grinned, tipped his  
scraggly hat and then rode off after the general.  
Rufus stared down at the body. He sighed deeply and  
looked at Pent.  
  
"Oh no. Don't look at me. I'm not babysitting!" Pent  
grinned, raising his hands. "Have fun. I uh... better  
help the others!"  
  
With that, he ran off.  
  
Rufus was debating wether or not he should just shoot  
the troublesome recruit when the body stirred. /Well,  
no point killing him. Maybe I can get him to do those  
menial tasks I hate so much./  
  
/Like killing bees. Gawd, I really hate bees./  
  
Buuuuuzzzzzzzz.  
  
Rufus groaned and shut his eyes.  
  
The little shit was back. Just as buzzy as before.  
  
The perfect end, to the perfect afternoon.  
  
  
***********************  



	3. Chapter Three

Notes: . I have a feeling this chapter is sucky.  
I've said it before, I'll say it again. I -hate- plot  
building. I just wish I could be better at it. But I  
guess practice makes perfect. *sigh* Please forgive  
the suckiness of this chapter.   
  
Disclaimers: Hey! I forgot these at the beginning of  
the fic. . I don't own FF8 or it's characters!   
  
  
  
=Chapter Three - The Recruit=  
  
  
3.1  
  
  
/I've been kidnapped./ Seifer glowered at his  
'instructor'. The strange soldier had still not felt  
the need to tell Seifer what his name was. The man was  
irritating. He spoke very little, and when he did  
speak it was to belittle or to throw around orders.  
And he spoke with such a haughty,  
I'm-so-fucking-better-than-you tone that the more he  
spoke, the angrier Seifer got.  
  
He understood now that he had been unwillingly  
'recruited' into the Avalanche army, whatever the hell  
that was. He hadn't been able to figure out where  
exactly he was. He'd been too busy putting up tents  
and cleaning up the mess that was General Calmay's  
camp. True, he didn't -have- to, he could have made a  
fuss and attempted to leave. But, trying that would  
have got him killed, he was sure of it.  
  
His gunblade. He would sure like to know where it was.  
When he summoned Ifrit he'd been holding it, but when  
he ... 'woke' in that bar it was gone, replaced by a  
cheap buster sword. He couldn't make head or tail of  
it all. It just didn't make sense. None of this  
situation did. He tugged at the collar of the too  
tight uniform they'd pulled him into after knocking  
him out. It was hot out. The sun burned brilliantly in  
the sky.  
  
He tied the last rope and straightened, looking to the  
south where he knew his 'instructor' was sitting. The  
man hadn't moved a muscle since Seifer had woken up  
hours ago with a huge bump on the back of his head.  
"That's enough Almasy!"  
  
Seifer stiffened as the 'instructor' yelled at him. He  
glowered at the man, even though from this distance  
that man wouldn't be able to see the glare. "Get over  
here!"  
  
Seifer growled low in his throat. He was feeling very  
strong homicidal urges, but he resisted them and made  
his way over to the 'instructor'. "Sit down and eat."  
The instructor didn't even look up as Seifer  
approached. His strange, glowing blue eyes remained  
focused on the book he held open in his lap.  
  
Seifer walked around the fire and sat down. /Eat  
what?/ He wondered. He -was- hungry. Very hungry in  
truth. His stomach was making loud noises of protest.  
But he couldn't see anything to eat. "Eat what?" He  
snapped.  
  
The instructor looked up briefly, "The rations. I took  
the liberty of slipping a few into your pocket while  
you were.." a very small smirk curved his lips,  
"resting."  
  
/Resting my ass./ Seifer thought darkly. He reached  
into his pocket and pulled out the first thing his  
fingers touched. He studied the silver packaging for a  
moment then opened it to reveal a brown bar. Shrugging  
he began to chew on it. It tasted a lot like..  
chicken?  
  
/Gawd.../ he thought with a mental sigh, /Does  
-everything- taste like chicken?/  
  
"What's your name?" The instructor asked suddenly.  
  
Seifer paused in eating his chicken-rations to look at  
the instructor. "Almasy."  
  
The instructor sighed, his eyes narrowing. He looked  
at Seifer with a irritated expression on his pretty  
face, "Your -whole- name Almasy? What is it?"  
  
"What's yours!?" Seifer responded immediately, his  
irritation coming to a boil.  
  
They glowered at each other. After a moment the  
instructor muttered, "Ruf."  
  
Seifer blinked, unsure if he'd heard correctly.  
"What?"  
  
"I said my name is Ruf!" The instructor barked  
angrily, "Ruf Ra!"  
  
He glowered at Seifer, daring the taller man to laugh.  
Seifer didn't. It -was- a surprising name, but he  
didn't find it amusing. /Either his parents were very  
cruel, very dumb or it's not his real name./ He  
decided. "Seifer Almasy."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
3.2  
  
  
"Seifer?" Rinoa whispered as Squall stepped into the  
room. She was still unable to move without much pain,  
so she had been confined to the infirmary until her  
injuries healed completely.  
  
Squall shook his head mutely. He sat on the bed beside  
her, careful not to jolt her body in any way. His hand  
moved towards hers, hesitantly. He paused, then took  
her hand in his own. He met her worried gaze. She,  
more than the others, was concerned for Seifer's  
saftely. Squall didn't entirely understand her  
feelings. Seifer had, just a few scant weeks ago tried  
to kill them all. How could she forgive that so  
easily, even -if- Seifer had helped her, that didn't  
rectify his sins.  
  
"We found his gunblade." He told her quietly, watching  
her face closely.  
  
Her entire body trembled, "His.. his gunblade?" she  
gasped, her heart constricting with fear, "Squall..  
Squall he would.. never, -never- let go of his-"  
  
"I know." He interrupted softly, "I know."  
  
She shook her head, tears rising in her eyes. "Squall!  
I know you don't care for him but.. but please...  
please... we have to find him."  
  
Squall sighed, nodding his head. He would do his best,  
for her. Only for her.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
3.3  
  
  
"Seifer Almasy." Rufus repeated, he closed his book  
and placed it on the ground beside him.  
  
Seifer nodded, once, then he focused on his rations.  
Rufus knew they tasted like shit. Rations always  
tasted like crap. He was pretty sure it was a law or  
something. Military rations must taste like shit, or  
the soldiers will get to comfortable and forget  
they're at war. Rufus snorted, amused at the thought.  
  
/Like we could forget we're at war./ He leaned over,  
grabbed a log and threw it into the fire. The  
resulting shower of sparks burned at his face, but he  
didn't care. "I don't imagine you joined this army  
willingly," He said, choosing his words carefully,  
"But now that you're here there's not much you can do  
about it. If you try to leave you will be taken for a  
deserter and shot."   
  
Seifer's eyes narrowed, but he didn't speak. "Oh, and  
another thing. Your name? Forget it. It doesn't mean  
anything here. You're a soldier, and that's how you'll  
be addressed. Unless you go up in rank you will be  
nothing, and you will be treated like nothing." /I  
should know./ Rufus added mentally. He shook his head,  
"The only way to go up in rank is time, or  
extraordinary skill on the battlefield. Don't hope for  
the latter. You're no Sephiroth. Few are."  
  
Seifer finished his ration and tucked the empty  
wrapper into his pocket. He met Rufus' gaze steadily.  
He didn't look the least bit interested. Rufus was  
intriqued by that cocky attitude but irritated also.  
Pride and confidence were all well and good, but they  
had no place in a war. Sometimes the stronger man was  
the man who knew when to run.  
  
Rufus had not run from a battle yet. But that was  
besides the point. He was good enough that he didn't  
-need- to run. He wasn't exactly a normal soldier.  
He'd been trained from a very young age in the art of  
killing. He had been taught by the strongest and best  
Turks. He had even had a session with Sephiroth. Not  
many men could claim the same.  
  
"You'll sleep in my tent." Rufus cursed himself  
silently as soon as the words came out of his mouth.  
/You idiot!/, but he knew that if the newest member of  
the Avalanche didn't sleep in his tent that man was  
likely to make a run for it. And for some odd reason  
he didn't want to see the man killed. "If you try to  
run, I'll shoot you before the general gets the  
chance."  
  
"Where are we?" Seifer asked suddenly.  
  
Rufus shrugged, "Near the Midgar ruins. Where did you  
think you were?"  
  
Seifer just shrugged, any emotion he might be feeling  
hidden by an impenetrable mask. Rufus stared at that  
static face. /Curiouser and curiouser./ He thought  
with a smirk.  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
3.4  
  
  
Seifer lay on the cold, hard ground, as far from sleep  
as a man could be. He knew he should sleep, he had a  
feeling the day to come would not be easy. He glanced  
to his left where Rufus lay on a small cot. The cot  
was not long enough and Rufus' legs hung over the  
edge. The pretty young man was snoring softly in his  
sleep. Seifer smirked, amused at the sight. The boy  
was cocky, and irritating, but Seifer found himself...  
attracted. -Very- attracted to the stoic youth.  
  
Child. Boy. Youth. He'd come to think of Rufus in  
those terms since he got the opportunity to speak to  
him. It wasn't that Rufus acted young, on the  
contrary, he acted much too old for his age. But his  
face, and his size reminded Seifer of a child. Seifer  
wouldn't be in the least surprised if he found out  
Rufus was just reaching puberty.  
  
He snickered to himself and looked away.   
  
Midgar ruins?  
  
Where the hell was that? He'd never heard of such a  
place. Things just got more and more complicated the  
more time passed. He glanced at Rufus, then at the  
tent flap. After a moment's hesitation he carefully  
got to his feet. Being sure not to make too much noise  
he made his way across the tent to the flap.   
  
"Don't try it." A voice murmured sleepily from the  
cot.  
  
Seifer froze. He glanced back to find glowing blue  
eyes fixed on him. He considered his options. It  
wouldn't take much to knock the small man down, he was  
sure, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to. He chewed  
on it in his mind, then made his way back to the  
collection of blankets that was to be his bed for the  
night. He lay back down and in moments Rufus was once  
again snoring.  
  
He would stick around, but only so he could exact  
revenge on these bastards. Besides, somewhere in this  
camp someone had his clothes -and- his gunblade and he  
needed to find that before he left.  
  
As he drifted into sleep he realized, belatedly, that  
for the first time in months... today.. he'd been  
treated like a human being.  
  
  
***********************  



	4. Chapter Four

Notes: You'll notice that pretty much every Irvine fic  
I've written has Irvine smoking. *snickering* I'm  
-really- sorry about that. It just seems to me that...  
well, he'd be the type to smoke. *shrugs*   
  
  
  
=Chapter Four - Creatures of the Night=  
  
  
4.1  
  
  
  
/Seifer/  
  
Quistis gazed out at the horizon. The gentle breeze  
brushed against her cheek, as soft a butterfly kisses.  
She sighed, resting her arms against the railing of  
the balcony. "Hey babe, what are you doing out here?"  
  
She turned, smiling easily at Irvine. He was a  
shameless flirt, but she'd grown used to him. He  
wasn't a playboy, despite his continuous flirtations.  
He just.. it was just part of who he is. She looked  
back at the horizon, her smile fading. "I'm worried  
about him."  
  
Irvine nodded, placing a cigarette in his mouth and  
lighting it. He threw the match away and moved to her  
side. He leaned against the railing, their elbows  
touching. "Yeah. I think we all are... except maybe  
Zell." He added with a smile.  
  
Quistis reached over and grabbed the cigarette. She  
plucked it from his lips and tossed it over the side  
of the balcony. It dropped into the ocean below, so  
small it didn't even make a ripple. "He cares too."  
She said softly, "We haven't had much time to  
really... fix things with Seifer, but I think we all  
care about him. He was one of us too when we were  
kids."  
  
"He was a bastard." Irvine pulled another cigarette  
out of his pocket. Before he could even get it to his  
mouth Quistis had grabbed it and tossed it.   
  
"Yes. He was. But he was our friend too. I remember  
once... I was.. I was outside on the beach. I was  
crying. I was just.. I missed my parents -so- much."  
Quistis propped her chin up with her hand, gazing out  
at the setting sun. The brilliant display of color did  
little to calm her heart. "Do you know.. he came  
outside. At first he teased me, like he always did.  
But when he saw how upset I was..."  
  
Irvine turned his head, staring at her with  
fascination. Her face was so soft in the light gold of  
the sunset. He reached out and tucked a stray piece of  
hair behind her ear. She didn't notice the light  
touch, she was too lost in her memories. A soft smile  
curved her lips, "He sat beside me. At first he was  
quiet, he just listened to me cry. And then.. he took  
me in his arms and he held me." She dropped her arms  
and wrapped them around her waist. Her eyes slid shut,  
"He held me so tight. He whispered in my ear that he  
missed his parents too."  
  
She turned to Irvine, opening her eyes. They were  
bright with emotion and tears. "You hide behind your  
smile. Zell hides behind his fists. Squall hides  
behind his apathy. I... I hide behind.. my.."  
  
"Intelligence." Irvine offered.  
  
Quistis nodded, wiping her cheek with her knuckle. She  
felt the tears and shuddered. "Selphie hides behind  
her laughter. And Seifer... Seifer hid behind his  
anger. Can you blame him for that Irvine? He was just  
trying to protect himself. He was just trying... to  
stay together."  
  
Irvine sighed and held out his arms. Without a word  
Quistis moved into his embrace and wrapped her arms  
around his waist. He pressed his cheek against her  
hair. "We'll find him Quistis." He whispered.  
  
"I just... I wish he could be happy. That's all. He's  
the only one... who's never been... happy."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
4.2  
  
  
  
Rufus lay quietly, listening to the sounds. He turned  
on his side, a little frown on his brow. The sounds  
had woken him. He gazed at the floor, seeing the lump  
there but not remembering what it was. After staring  
for a few moments it dawned on him just what that lump  
was... Almasy. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. So what  
was that noise?  
  
He sat up and swung his legs off the cot. He wouldn't  
be able to sleep if he didn't find the source of the  
noise that had woken him. He walked to the tent flap  
and flung it open. The cool night air bit at his skin,  
but he ignored it as he listened intently. /There it  
is again./ It was faint, distant, but it was so out of  
place that he had picked up on it, even asleep.  
  
He moved back into the tent and pulled on his boots  
and jacket. He slept in his clothes, just in case he'd  
be needed for battle late in the night. Or early in  
the morning for that matter. He knelt beside the  
recruit, then reached out and lightly touched the  
sleeping man's shoulder.  
  
Seifer's eyes snapped open. He stared at Rufus, his  
gaze clear and wide awake. Rufus inclined his head,  
not bothering to speak. He got to his feet and  
gestured that Seifer should do the same.  
  
In moments they were both standing outside. Rufus  
handed Seifer a pistol, after stuffing one under his  
own jacket. He headed south, where the sound was  
coming from. Seifer followed him silently, not once  
asking where they were going. They walked for what may  
have been minutes, or hours, neither were sure. At  
night time seems to almost stretch. Finally the noise  
was loud enough that Seifer could also hear it.  
  
Rufus paused once, a strange sick feeling making his  
stomach roll. But he pushed the sensation aside and  
kept walking. "Smell that?" he whispered as the noise  
grew louder and louder. Now he could distinguish it. A  
soft clicking, moan. It was.. bizarre and it sent  
shivers down his spine.  
  
Seifer sniffed the air, coughing as he did. "Smells  
like..." He couldn't find a word to accurately  
describe the horrible scent.  
  
"Rotted flesh." Rufus offered.  
  
Seifer nodded, his hand gripping the pistol so tightly  
that his knuckles turned white. "You can go back if  
you want." Rufus offered, feeling sorry for the newest  
Avalanche recruit. First official day on the job and  
here Rufus is dragging him into a potential  
life-threatening encounter with lord-knows-what kind  
of twisted, fucked up creature.  
  
"I'm no coward." Seifer said darkly, his eyes flashing  
with anger.  
  
Rufus smiled, "Good. I don't abide cowards." He pulled  
out his own weapon and checked to be sure it was  
loaded. "These are mako bullets. With Tsui's creatures  
you need to shoot for the brain, but these things are  
fucked up. Some brains are in their asses. Kind of  
like some people I know." He flipped off the safety  
and looked at Seifer, "Hit them anywhere but in the  
brain and you'll only serve to piss them off.  
Generally if it's taller than you it's brain is in  
whatever passes for it's head, but the little ones..  
you never know. Ass, chest, anywhere that looks bulky  
enough to support a brain. Course some of these shits  
have brains the size of peanuts so.." Rufus shrugged,  
"Just keep your eyes open. Trust your instinct."  
  
"Don't worry about me." Seifer said with a short nod.  
  
He pushed past Rufus and made his way through the  
trees. Rufus chuckled, shaking his head as he followed  
the confident man. "You'll learn soon enough Almasy.  
You'll learn soon enough."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
4.3  
  
  
"My god.." Seifer gasped as they approached a  
clearing.  
  
There, in all it's glory, was the source of the noise  
that had woken Rufus. A huge, spider like creature,  
with a body as big as Rufus and Seifer put together.  
It wasn't the body, or the six-spider like legs that  
bothered Seifer. It was the head. A mutated human eyes  
with dead... human eyes. Seifer shuddered and raised  
his pistol.   
  
"Wait." Rufus stepped around Seifer, putting himself  
between the creature and the upraised pistol. "Just  
wait."  
  
Seifer lowered the weapon, watching with narrowed eyes  
as Rufus slowly walked closer and closer to the  
creature. The creature hissed softly, the clicking,  
moaning sound slowing and stopping completely as it  
inclined it's head and fixed it's dead eyes on Rufus.  
"Poor chap." Seifer could hear Rufus speaking gently  
to the creature, "Just relax. I'm not going to hurt  
you. You know you woke me up? From a really good dream  
too."  
  
Rufus was now standing directly before the creature.  
The creature was a good three heads taller than Rufus.  
Seifer watched, his entire body tensed, as the  
creature lowered it's head so it could look Rufus in  
the face. Those long, thing legs folded, lowering the  
creature to the ground. It's purple body clashed with  
the green of the grass. Now Rufus was looking down on  
the creature. It didn't last long though, Seifer  
watched with shock as Rufus knelt, placing his arms on  
his legs and letting his hands dangle between his  
thighs as he spoke to the creature.  
  
"So what are you, hm? I haven't seen your breed  
before. You don't seem hostile, but maybe that's  
because you're sick... are you sick? I can't tell.  
Sure sounds like it... come to think of it, it  
-smells- like it to. Is that stench you?"  
  
/Oh great.. he's going to have a conversation with a  
sick, rotting, ... monster. Is this guy insane, or  
what?/ Seifer thought irritably as he watched.  
Carefully he began to move forward.  
  
/Oh gawd. I can't believe this. I should have stayed  
in bed./ Seifer thought as he stepped up to Rufus'  
side.  
  
"They all used to be human you know." Rufus commented  
quietly, hearing Seifer's breath near his side. "I  
just keep thinking... this could have been my cousin.  
My aunt. My... my mother even." he shrugged. He looked  
up, meeting Seifer's gaze. His eyes were glowing. With  
hatred, anger.. and hurt. "These creatures are the  
victims Almasy. -They- are the ones we should be  
fighting to save. Not this fucking planet."  
  
Seifer nodded. He wasn't sure what to say. He looked  
at the creature. At it's human head, human eyes...  
"These were created." He realized, his jaw dropping.  
  
"That's right." Rufus looked at Seifer oddly, "Created  
by that bastard Tsui. His father was screwed in the  
head, but he's worse."  
  
"That's who you're fighting?" Seifer couldn't look at  
the creature anymore. Now that he knew it -had- been a  
human.. he just.. he felt ill.  
  
"Tsui."  
  
Suddenly the creature rose, standing high above both  
Rufus and Seifer. Seifer bent down and grabbed Rufus'  
arm. He pulled the blond to his feet and stepped back,  
dragging Rufus with him. "No sudden movements." Rufus  
hissed, then to the creature he said softly, "It's all  
right bud."  
  
The creature hissed, sounding like a snake about to  
attack. Seifer tensed, hand tightening on the pistol.  
"Something's coming." Rufus whispered, just before the  
night exploded.  
  
  
  
***********************  



	5. Chapter Five

Notes: Hmm... well.... I don't know -how- I feel about  
this one. But someone mentioned the turks and so...  
*shrug* Quick, I know. But I'm on a roll. *L*  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the  
characters portrayed in this fic.  
  
  
  
=Chapter Five - The Oppressed=  
  
  
  
5.1  
  
  
  
"I really hate my life."  
  
"Would you quit bitching?"  
  
"No! I really -do- hate my life."  
  
"If you don't shut up I'm going to fuc-"  
  
"SHUT UP THE BOTH OF YOU!"  
  
Elena and Reno both jumped as Tseng's voice rang out.  
They looked at him, their expressions equally frozen  
in shock. "Would you just shut the hell up? You're  
making so much noise even if we -do- manage to locate  
it, it'll know we're here before we can get close."  
Tseng snapped.  
  
Reno and Elena nodded together, stepping just a bit  
closer to each other. Tseng in a rage was rare, and  
very frightening to see. Tseng made a soft snorting  
sound and started walking again. Reno and Elena were  
quiet. They walked directly behind Tseng and Rude  
followed just behind them.  
  
"Sh." Rude suddenly stopped walking. He placed a  
finger against his lips. His eyes were bright as he  
gazed into the darkness of the trees.  
  
Tseng paused, as did Elena and Reno. They all  
listened.  
  
Off in the distance, so quiet it would have been  
missed by the others, someone, or something, was  
crying.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
5.2  
  
  
The night burst into flames. Rufus only had time to  
utter a brief warning before another projectile plowed  
into the ground by Seifer's feet. The resulting  
explosion sent them both flying. Rufus landed hard, so  
hard the breath was knocked out of him. But he was on  
his feet even before he could gasp air into his abused  
lungs again. "Goddamn it, I hate those bees!" He  
screamed (More like wheezed) as he pulled out his  
weapon and rushed into the trees.  
  
They were Tsui's favorite creature, probably because  
they were the stealthiest and thus the deadliest of  
all his creations. Almost immediately he ran across  
one of them. In the dark it was hard to make out  
anything but it's shape. No matter. He attacked  
anyway. With a primal scream he raised his pistol,  
firing straight for the area he knew their brains  
were. He had to kill as many as he could and when the  
others smelt the blood of their comrades, they would  
flee.  
  
The first bee went down easily. Behind it were two  
more. The bees biggest weakness, were their habit of  
travelling in compact, large groups. Another of their  
weaknesses was their fear. And one thing they really  
feared, were crazy humans. As Rufus ran to the other  
two, his pistol firing almost without him knowing it,  
he could feel the fear in them. It made his heart beat  
just that much faster.  
  
They went down so easily he was almost surprised. He  
didn't let the emotion bother him though. He focused  
only on his anger. His hatred. If he didn't.. he would  
remember. /These creatures are the victims/ The  
thought thrust itself on him, /They didn't ask to be  
like this./  
  
/Human once... they were all human once.../  
  
He found five more just a few feet away.  
  
/A mother... a brother... a sister../  
  
Two down with one shot. They lined up nicely so the  
first shot went through ones brain, out of the back of  
his head and into the other's heart.   
  
/An unwilling experiment... only wanting to live their  
life in peace./  
  
The others put up more of a fight. He hardly felt the  
sharp claws that ripped at his back and arms. The  
blast of fire magic that hit him squarely in the chest  
only made him hesitate for a moment.  
  
/And what do they get?/  
  
He could hear them screaming to each other. And then  
the last one he faced turned and ran. His pistol  
raised, level and steady.  
  
/Pain. Deformation and death./  
  
The shot echoed loudly in his ears. He watched as the  
bee jerked, and then fell to the ground.  
  
Dead.  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
5.3  
  
  
/What are these things?/ Seifer raised his hand,  
"Fire!"  
  
And a sheet of magical fire burst from his palm. He  
didn't realize, or think about the implications. He  
had no GF. How could he cast magic? But he didn't  
think. He was in the heat of battle. He just acted and  
reacted.   
  
The flames burned his face.  
  
/Burning../  
  
He shook his head lightly, charging at the next  
creature with a scream.  
  
/So hot/  
  
He glanced down. His hands were covered in blood. Red,  
human blood.   
  
/These creatures are the victims Almasy./  
  
Something hard slammed into his chest. He couldn't  
breathe. He hit the ground, the creature's weight atop  
of him. It's claws wrapped around his throat. /Die,  
die, die../ He could see it in the creature's eyes ...  
in those... those human eyes..  
  
/-They- are the ones we should be fighting to save./  
  
He shot it three times in the stomach. It didn't even  
flinch. It's eyes hardened with anger. /Hit them  
anywhere but in the brain and you'll only serve to  
piss them off./  
  
/Shit./  
  
"BOLT!"  
  
The night sky lit up with sparkling energy. The  
creature's eyes widened fractionally as the bolt magic  
hit it squarely between the shoulder blades. The force  
of the bolt was so strong that the creature's head was  
removed. The resulting gust of blood coated Seifer's  
face.  
  
He lay beneath the dead creature's twitching body. He  
didn't bother to try and move.  
  
/These creatures are the victims-/  
  
/They are the ones we should be trying to save-/  
  
"You all right?"   
  
Seifer didn't move when the voice called out. He  
didn't reconcile the voice to himself. Slowly his eyes  
slid shut. /Christ... what's happening to me?/  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
5.4  
  
  
/Burning/  
  
Zell shivered, rubbing his arms hard as he gazed  
around with his eyes very wide and confused. He was  
too warm, but the goosepimples on his arms  
contradicted the raging fire inside his body. "Shit."  
He muttered, his eyes darted to the gunblade lying on  
his dresser. "Why'd that bastard give it to me?" He  
wondered aloud with a little sniff.  
  
He hated having to see that thing everytime he walked  
into his room. Everytime he -did- look at it he could  
hear Seifer's taunting voice in his head. /'What's  
your problem, chicken-wuss? Got a problem with  
ghosts?'/  
  
Zell snorted, shaking his head hard. They didn't know  
yet if Seifer was dead. But then again, his eyes  
drifted to the shiny blade of that deadly weapon,  
Seifer would have to be dead before he'd let go of his  
gunblade. "Fuck Seifer. You've got everyone worried  
about you." Zell muttered, sitting down on his bed.  
It's abused springs creaked loudly as his weight  
settled on the bumpy mattress. It wouldn't have been  
so bad, if Zell didn't have a habit of bouncing on  
beds when he was particularly excited about something.  
  
"You're a dumb shit, y'know that?" He was talking to  
the gunblade. /Crap... I've really gone over the deep  
end./ He thought with a little sneer. He didn't  
realize just how closely his expression echoed  
Seifer's customary sneer. He didn't realize and if he  
had, he would be horrified. "Getting yourself lost  
like this."  
  
He laid down on the bed with a huge sigh. Placing his  
hands behind his head he let his legs dangle off the  
edge of the mattress as he stared at the gunblade.  
"Rinoa's beside herself. She thinks it's her fault ...  
in a way... I mean, I don't talk to her much and she  
doesn't confide in me but... I just get the impression  
that... ah dammmit! Why do I care?!"  
  
He covered his eyes with his arm. "You're a prick.  
Either that or you -have- a prick shoved up your ass.  
One or the other, guess it doesn't really matter. The  
bottom line is you treated us all like  
shit...especially me."  
  
He paused, feeling a strange sensation burn at the  
back of his lids. "Shit..."  
  
"I don't know why... I care..."  
  
With an angry curse he rolled off the bed and stalked  
across the room. He grabbed a pillow and thumped it  
over the gunblade. He stared at the now-covered  
gunblade. It was still creeping him out.  
  
/Flames... burning so hot../  
  
He rubbed his arms furiously. He was so warm. He  
closed his eyes.  
  
/A headless body hovering over him, blood gushing,  
coating hi-/  
  
His eyes snapped open. He muffled a cry and stumbled  
back. His eyes grew very wide as he looked around.  
"What the hell was that?" He gasped, rubbing his face.  
  
There was no answer...  
  
But then...  
  
An empty room can't talk.... can it?  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
5.5  
  
  
"What the hell is that?"  
  
"A new breed... obviously."  
  
"Is that a body?"  
  
The foursome, formerly known as the Turks, came upon  
the clearing. The trees themselves were coated in  
red.. The crying sound they'd heard, orginated from a  
spider-like creature that lay twitching on the ground.  
Beside it were two bodies.  
  
Two human bodies.  
  
Two very bloody human bodies.  
  
The spider-like creature had one of it's.. arms?  
wrapped around the smaller body. "Shit... that's .."  
  
"Rufus." Tseng finished for Reno, his voice carefully  
devoid of emotion.  
  
  
  
***********************  



	6. Chapter Six

=Chapter Six - We don't want him!=  
  
  
  
6.1  
  
  
"I feel.... like I've just been run over by a wild  
herd of chocobo's." Rufus groaned as he cracked his  
eyes open.   
  
"Do chocobo's travel in herds?" Elena asked Reno, the  
bleached blonde in her coming to a forefront.  
  
Reno just shrugged, a little smirk curving his lips.  
"Looks like you made yourself a friend." He commented.  
  
"Huh?" Rufus rubbed the back of his head and sat up.  
He glanced down at Seifer's prone body. "He's just a  
new recruit.."  
  
"No. Not him." Reno shook his head, pointing to the  
creature behind Rufus, "HIM."  
  
Rufus turned, looking straight into that disformed  
human head. He caught his breath as the creature  
smiled at him and reached up with one of it's twiggy  
hands to touch his face. "Uh... yeah." Rufus  
stuttered, trying hard not to jerk away from that  
touch. He dimly remembered that this creature had  
saved Seifer by casting a bolt spell. /Not -all- bad./  
He found himself thinking.  
  
Reno was snickering as Rufus got to his feet. "Got  
some strange taste in friends there Shinra."  
  
"Don't call me that." Rufus hissed, glowering at Reno.  
He brushed the dust off his pants. He ran a hand  
through his hair and looked down at Seifer.  
  
He had walked across the clearing after seeing the  
creature save Seifer. He'd asked Seifer if he was okay  
and then... and then.. he couldn't remember. There was  
a big gaping hole where a memory should be. /What  
happened between then and now?/  
  
"What happened here?" Tseng asked.  
  
"Bees."  
  
"Bees?" Elena's eyes grew wide, "God! I knew I hated  
insects but I had no IDEA!"  
  
"Buzzy bees Elena!" Reno snapped, lightly hitting her  
arm. "Have you been sniffing Rude's underwear again?"  
  
Elena turned a bright shade of red. "NO WAY!"  
  
"That's enough you two." Tseng said sharply.   
  
The two were immediately quiet. Even now, with the  
Turks not existing anymore they saw him as their  
undisputed leader. Rufus prodded Seifer's side with  
his boot. In truth he wanted to lean down and check  
the man's pulse but he resisted the urge. /No  
weakness... don't let them see any weakness./   
  
Seifer moaned softly.  
  
And then something very strange happened... he began  
to glow. Much like one did when summoning. Rufus  
stepped back, as did Reno and Elena. The creature let  
out a little squeak, it tried to move away, but it had  
been injured during the fight. It lay there,  
struggling, as the glow from Seifer's body increased.  
The strange light touched the creautre, running up  
it's limbs.  
  
Covering it's body.  
  
There was a high pitched scream, and then.. with a  
snap, the creature disappeared.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
6.2  
  
  
Zell was a heavy sleeper. He could sleep through  
pretty much anything. But, when a high-pitched scream  
filled his room, he woke up. He sat up, eyes huge, and  
then he was the one doing the screaming.  
  
Resting in the center of the room was the strangest,  
ugliest -thing- he'd ever seen in his entire life. It  
was huge. It filled half his room. It looked like a  
spider and he -really- hated spiders.  
  
Screaming he rolled off his bed and made a bee-line  
for the door. The creature's screams mingled with his  
own as he burst into the hall. "SQUALL YOU'RE TAKING  
THAT FUCKING GUNBLADE OUT OF MY ROOM NOW!!!" Zell  
howled at the top of his lungs as he ran as fast as he  
could towards Squall's room.  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
6.3  
  
  
He was so warm. Warm... safe... content... He didn't  
want to wake up. He resisted the pull of awareness. He  
could hear the voices calling him. He ignored them.  
His eyes fluttered and opened without his permission.  
He gazed at the room with a little confusion. It  
looked like... Zell's room?  
  
He blinked, and the illusion was gone. He found  
himself lying on the cold ground, his face was wet.  
From blood, he remembered. The warmth slowly ebbed  
away. He moaned softly, protesting. He didn't want it  
to leave. He'd never felt so good. But as all good  
things must do, the warmth died completely and he was  
left shivering on the cold, hard ground.  
  
With a little sigh he sat up. "-What- was that?" Elena  
gasped.  
  
Seifer stared at the newcomers. They weren't in  
Avalanche army uniform so he could only assume they  
were civilians. His eyes strayed to Rufus who was  
gazing at him with a strange expression on his face.  
/What happened? Why do they look at me like that?/ He  
wondered.  
  
His head... ached. He reached up with shaking fingers  
and rubbed his temples. /What's wrong with me? Why am  
I so.. so weak?/  
  
"No time for idle chit chat." Tseng waved a hand at  
Elena, she recognized it as a sign to shut her mouth,  
so she did. "Rufus, this area is extremely dangerous."  
  
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed." Rufus replied  
sarcastically.  
  
"We're heading south east. If you'd like... you may  
join us."  
  
"Oh we may, may we?"  
  
Tseng shook his head, "Your sarcasm will get you in  
trouble one day Rufus Shinra."  
  
"Don't -call- me that." Rufus hissed, glancing quickly  
at Seifer.  
  
Seifer carefully got to his feet, pretending not to  
hear. /Rufus Shinra?/ He wondered, /So Ruf Ra is just  
an alias./ He brushed at his pants with a little sigh.  
/I feel ... strange... almost like../ He shook his  
head sharply, dispelling the thought. /No.. that's  
stupid. Couldn't happen./  
  
"Will you come?"  
  
Rufus glanced at Seifer, "What do you think?"  
  
"Who are they?" Seifer asked quietly, feeling  
strangely subdued. He rubbed his aching temples again.  
/What... is wrong with me?/  
  
"Part of Avalanche." Rufus responded shortly. "Reno,  
Elena, Rude and Tseng."  
  
Seifer shrugged, "What are you doing?" He looked at  
Tseng, meeting those black eyes with more than a  
little foreboding.  
  
"Like I said previously, searching for new forms of  
Tsui's creations. We're to study them, find their  
weakness' and their strengths." Tseng said.  
  
"He makes it sound so easy." Reno sighed, rubbing the  
back of his neck.  
  
"Doesn't he though?" Elena perked up, a smile  
spreading across her face, "Oh we just find their  
weaknesses and strengths. It's sooo simple really. I  
don't know -why- they burden us with such simple  
tasks." She said in a sarcastic tone.  
  
Tseng looked at her scathingly and she shut her mouth  
with a snap. "We'll go with you." Rufus said shortly,  
not bothering to give Seifer a chance to speak.  
  
Seifer glanced at him, but didn't protest. In all  
honesty he was interested in learning more about these  
people and these creatures. Something brushed his skin  
and he shivered. Looking up he rubbed his arms and  
frowned.  
  
/What is this... I'm feeling?/  
  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
6.4  
  
  
"So, you're saying this... thing, just appeared in  
your room?" Quistis glanced past Zell to the door to  
his room, which was open and revealed the strange  
spider creature. The creature had stopped screaming  
upon her arrival. It kept staring at her with wide,  
glowing eyes.  
  
It was unnerving.  
  
"That's right!" Zell cried, he paced behind Squall,  
glancing into his room every few minutes and  
shuddering.  
  
"Well, it can't have just appeared!" Selphie argued,  
placing her hands on her hips, "Something, or someone  
must have brought it here."  
  
"IT CAME FROM THAT GODDAMN GUNBLADE!" Zell suddenly  
screamed. He stormed up to Squall and stood on his  
tiptoes so he could glower into Squall's impassive  
blue eyes, "YOU GET THAT THING OUT OF MY ROOM!"  
  
"The creature came -from- the gunblade?" Quistis  
asked, her voice a bit sharper than she'd intended it  
to be.  
  
Zell glowered at Squall for a few more seconds, then  
with a sigh he rocked back on his heels and turned to  
Quistis. He shrugged, "I think so... It kind of...  
Well it -seemed- to."  
  
Quistis closed her eyes, her mind whirling. Irvine  
gently placed his hand on her elbow, "What is it  
Quis?"  
  
"What if..." Quistis opened her eyes and looked at  
Irvine with troubled eyes, "Somehow the gunblade and  
the GF are related to his disappearance."  
  
"That doesn't make sense. Squall uses GF and a  
gunblade and he's never just gone POOF!" Selphie shook  
her head vehemently.  
  
"Then Seifer must have done something different...and  
we have to figure out what if we want to get him  
back." Quistis' jaw hardened just a bit as she raised  
her chin.  
  
Zell snorted rudely and crossed his arms, "We don't  
want him back."  
  
"ZELL!" Selphie cried, "That's cruel!"  
  
"He's right." Squall said, his tone completely  
neutral, "Some of us don't want him back... but Rinoa  
does." He met Quistis' gaze, "So I'll help you however  
I can."  
  
Quistis closed her eyes again, /And just how did I end  
up being the brains of this operation?/ she wondered  
with a little sigh.  
  
  
  
***********************  



	7. Chapter Seven

=Chapter Seven - Sleep Now=  
  
  
  
7.1  
  
  
  
"Shinra."  
  
Rufus' head jerked up. He glowered at Seifer, "Don't  
call me that, soldier." He snapped.  
  
"Your name isn't Ruf Ra, is it?" Seifer asked quietly,  
"That guy, Tseng, he keeps calling you Shinra."  
  
"Little shit." Rufus grumbled, Seifer wasn't sure if  
the insult was directed towards him, or Tseng. "My  
name is Rufus, all right? But don't ever call me  
that." /What the hell am I doing?/ Rufus wondered,  
closing his eyes briefly. /Why am I telling him my  
real name?/  
  
Seifer nodded. He looked past Rufus at the shadowed  
trees. "Why did you join this army?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Not because of some misguided sense of duty, that's  
for sure. Tsui pisses me off. People who think they're  
God normally do. A few years ago I wouldn't have  
cared... but now... Now I can't stand to watch him  
kill so many souls. I can't stand the pain he's  
causing. If Avalanche wasn't around I'd be fighting  
him anyway." Rufus stopped, heat flushing his cheeks.  
He viciously threw a stick into the fire. /Why did I  
just tell him all that?/  
  
"I think I understand." Seifer nodded, his eyes  
darkening with some undefinable emotion.  
  
"Don't start thinking I'm noble and shit." Rufus  
grumbled, picking up a rock and rolling it in his  
hands. "I'm not..."  
  
"They could have been my brother, or cousin..." Seifer  
said quietly, his eyes resting on Rufus' face, "It has  
nothing to do with being noble, or self-sacrificing.  
It has everything to do with honor... and ..."  
  
"Love." Rufus finished. "Love for life."  
  
"Right."  
  
Their eyes met. Rufus shifted uncomfortably. Something  
inside of him was burning. He had never felt like this  
before. It was like everytime part of his body was  
tingling, and waiting. Waiting for what though?  
  
/What is this? What is he doing to me?/  
  
"I want to join your fight." Seifer said, breaking the  
odd silence that had fallen over them.  
  
Rufus couldn't help but smile ruefully, "You're  
already part of the army Almasy."  
  
"Yes. By force. Now I choose to join you."  
  
/Join... me./ Rufus' eyes narrowed, he looked away.  
/Not Avalanche. He wants to join me... or is that what  
he really meant?/  
  
"We leave in the morning..." Tseng walked over to  
them, "Reno is going to keep watch. You two better get  
some sleep."  
  
"Right." Rufus nodded. He laid down, on his back. The  
ground was cold, and hard, but he knew that he would  
sleep regardless. A few years ago he wouldn't have  
been able to. But now, he'd been hardened by the war.  
  
He didn't need feather pillows and warm bathes.  
  
Not anymore.  
  
He turned his head and watched as Seifer also lay  
down. Those beautiful blue eyes slid closed and Rufus  
found himself staring. The firelight gave Seifer's  
skin an almost goldish hue. /He's beautiful./ Rufus  
gasped softly at the thought, /What am I thinking?  
Beautiful! He's a guy!/  
  
"Shinra, you're drooling." Tseng commented quietly as  
he walked past.  
  
"Shut up Turk."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
7.2  
  
  
  
"Shut up Turk."  
  
/Drooling?/ Seifer fought back the frown that wanted  
to crease his brow. He listened to Tseng's footsteps  
fading in the night. The fire crackled, it's warmth  
washing over him and making him feel tired. /Drooling  
over me?/  
  
He let the heaviness of sleep take him into the world  
of dreams. Dreams of glowing blue eyes, and strangely  
enough, puppy dog ears.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
7.3  
  
  
  
"All right... summon Ifrit."  
  
Squall nodded, his face tense with determination. He  
raised the gunblade, shifting his grip. Seifer's  
gunblade had a slightly different balance than his  
own. It was also a tad lighter. "I call upon you,  
Ifrit." He murmured. The words were unnecesaary, but  
he'd gotten used to calling upon his GF's mentally as  
well as vocally.  
  
The world dimmed as Ifrit's magic faded him out of the  
physical realm. As fast as it happened, it was over.  
He opened his eyes and met the gaze of his friends.  
"Nothing." Quistis said with a little sigh. "Why did  
Seifer disappear, and you remain?"  
  
"We're missing something." Squall lowered the  
gunblade.   
  
"But what? What did Seifer do different?" With another  
sigh Quistis reached up to rub at her temples. She was  
getting such a headache.  
  
"Too bad we couldn't ask that... -thing- in my room."  
Zell commented quietly.  
  
All eyes focused on him. He shifted nervously,  
"Wh-what?"  
  
"Let's go ask it." Quistis said quietly.  
  
"Right!" Selphie agreed eagerly. She hadn't seen -it-  
yet and she was quite eager to.  
  
"You guys are insane." Zell moaned.  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
7.5  
  
  
  
Reno ran his tongue across his teeth as he edged  
closer to the shadows. Something had moved in there  
just moments before. He gripped his stun rod tightly.  
Tseng didn't like him to use it anymore, but when  
Tseng wasn't around he tossed the gun in favor for his  
rod. As he crept closer he could hear fevered  
breathing. Someone, or something -was- hiding in the  
shadows of the trees. His lips tilted up in a ferile  
grin. Whoever it was, they hadn't noticed him.  
  
When he was close enough he pushed the stun rod into  
the trees. The resulting snap and scream was enough to  
wake up everyone in a five mile radius.  
  
"HOLY SHIT RENO!"   
  
"Elena?!"  
  
Rubbing her aching rear Elena burst out of the  
shadows, Rude hot on her heels. "Rude?!" Reno couldn't  
help the disbelieving laugh that sputtered from his  
lips as he stumbled back.  
  
He took one look at their ruffled clothing and Elena's  
flushed cheeks and he burst into uncontrolled  
laughter. "Oh. My. God." He gasped, grabbing his sides  
and falling to the ground. He kicked his heels into  
the dirt, laughing harder at their half-embarassed,  
half-angry expressions.  
  
"What's going on?" Tseng burst onto the scene, his gun  
in hand and ready.  
  
"Nothing!" Elena cried quickly.  
  
"They... They...!" Reno was laughing too hard to  
complete his sentence.  
  
"Dammit Reno!" Elena lashed out, kicking Reno's leg  
with her bare foot. unfortunately that hurt her more  
than it hurt him.  
  
Rude took her arm as she cried out and reached down to  
grab her now aching toes.  
  
This whole scene just made Reno laugh harder. So hard  
his ribs were aching and tears of mirth were flowing  
unchecked down his cheeks. Tseng looked down at him as  
if he'd just sprouted horns and Rude glowered at him.  
"Oh, I -hate- you sometimes!" Elena cried, stamping  
her foot and wincing at the pain that produced.  
  
Reno just continued laughing.  
  
"Reno, get back to your watch. Rude, Elena, get back  
to your sleeping bags." Tseng turned to leave but  
stopped when Reno's laughter continued unchecked. With  
a little sigh he glanced over his shoulder at the  
untidy ex-Turk, "Stop that."  
  
Almost immediately Reno's laughter died down. He  
watched with amusement glinting in his eyes as Elena  
and Rude skulked off after Tseng.  
  
"I love night watch." He murmured with a little giggle  
as he reached up to wipe his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
7.6  
  
  
"All right... I'm going to talk to it." Quistis  
whispered as she stepped warily into the room.  
  
The creature's eyes turned to her. Such sad eyes. So  
full of... grief and pain. She felt herself shuddering  
in sympathy. "Hello." She said gently, "My name is  
Quistis.. I need to ask you a few questions. Can you  
speak?"  
  
The creature shifted it's long limbs. It looked ill.  
She stepped closer. "It's all right. We're not going  
to hurt you."   
  
The creature made a soft mewling sound, and then  
opened it's mouth.  
  
"Sleep...."  
  
The voice sent shivers up her spine. "Oh my buddha!  
Did it just speak!?" Selphie cried, her eyes wide.  
  
"Oh my buddha? Who says that?" Zell snorted.  
  
"Shut up Zell."  
  
"Sleep? Are you tired?" Quistis reached out with a  
shaking hand and very timidly touched one of the  
creature's long, spidery legs.  
  
"Sleep." The creature looked her square in the eye and  
repeated it's little plea.  
  
"All right." Quistis nodded, "All right."   
  
"What does that mean? Why doesn't it just sleep if  
it's tired?" Selphie pushed past Zell so she could  
peek into the room.  
  
"Maybe it can't... Or maybe it's trying to tell us  
something..." Irvine murmured, staring at the creature  
over Selphie's head.  
  
The creature trembled and slowly it's eyes slid shut.  
With a shudder...  
  
It stopped breathing.  
  
  
  
***********************  



	8. Chapter Eight

Notes: I hope Kitty likes Sci-fi because from here it  
just gets... weirder. If that's even possible. Just  
you wait.... *grin* Anything that appears like this;  
/hey there sweetie./ Are Seifer's thoughts and  
anything that appears like this; //buzz off.// are  
'someone' else's thoughts. You'll figure out who's who  
real quick. I'm sure. ^-^ And yes, Sephiroth is my all  
time favorite character in ALL the Final Fantasy  
series.  
  
  
  
=Chapter Eight - Angels, Whispers and ... Love?=  
  
  
  
8.1  
  
  
  
"Will they come looking for you?" Elena asked the next  
morning as Rufus and Seifer ate their breakfast.  
  
Rufus shrugged, "I don't imagine they will. I've never  
been that important to them and Almasy.. well, he's a  
recruit. No one will care about him."  
  
"But if they find you, they'll consider you a  
deserter?"  
  
"No." Tseng responded, stepping up to Elena's side and  
looking down at her, "I am a station above any general  
in this army. If I chose to use soldiers of the  
Avalanche army without prior notice, I can."  
  
Rufus smirked at this, "I don't understand why Strife  
gave you so much power."  
  
Tseng shrugged, "He likes us kiddo!" Reno appeared out  
of the trees and made his way to the now dead campfire  
where everyone was gathered. He plopped down beside  
Rufus and grabbed one of Rufus' rations.   
  
Rufus glanced at Reno from the corner of his eye. He  
was tempted to make some scathing remark, but he  
decided against it. Instead he shrugged and dropped  
the rest of his morning rations into Reno's lap.  
Reno's eyes lit up like those of a kid in a candy shop  
as he happily opened each ration and began to devour  
them.  
  
"Why would he like a band of misfits like you?" Rufus  
asked, his voice twinged with barely surpressed humor.  
  
"Because I'm cute." Reno declared through a mouthful  
of food.  
  
Elena snorted loudly, "Yeah... in what universe?!"  
  
"If you two start, this early in the morning, I'm  
going to kick you both back to Kalm." Tseng growled.  
With a little shrug he looked away from them, "We're  
heading out in five. Be ready."  
  
He turned and walked away.   
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
8.2  
  
  
  
/Burning./  
  
Zell jerked, his eyes widening. He reached up to rub  
his arms as the strange heat shivered over his chest.  
He was cold and yet he felt as if.. flames were  
gripping him on the inside.  
  
He glanced at the others as Quistis examined the  
gunblade.  
  
"We're missing something..."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
8.3  
  
  
  
/Burning./  
  
With a shiver Seifer lifted a shaking hand and pressed  
it against his temples. "I think..."  
  
Two sets of curious blue gazes settled on him but he  
hardly noticed. This is what he'd been feeling before.  
The gentle whisper of ... something in his head. His  
entire body felt as if it were... on fire.  
  
/So warm.../  
  
He got to his feet, the burning in the pit of his  
stomach intensified. His knees felt like jelly but he  
couldn't sit. Not anymore. /Flames.... so hot.../  
  
"Are you cold?" Rufus asked, looking up at Seifer with  
a little frown.  
  
"Cold?" Seifer repeated, his tongue feeling numb.  
  
"You're rubbing your arms.."  
  
"Am I?" Seifer looked down. He hadn't even realized...  
But he was rubbing his arms. He dropped his hands and  
gripped them into fists.   
  
//....sleep...//  
  
"What?" Seifer whispered aloud. The voice was not his  
own, and it did not belong in his head. He reached up  
and pressed his fingers against his temples.  
  
//....so long.....//  
  
"Almasy?"  
  
Seifer glanced down at Rufus, then stumbled back a few  
steps. "I... I'll be back." He murmured, turning and  
rushing away.  
  
/Who are you?/  
  
//...life... death... eternity...//  
  
/What?/  
  
//..the brother..the father...the mother..the sister..  
I am everything.. and nothing..//  
  
/I don't .. understand./  
  
//..I am called.. Jenova.//  
  
/Jenova?/  
  
Seifer stopped, glancing back to be sure he was far  
enough from the camp. Then he leaned heavily against  
the nearest tree and closed his eyes. The moment he  
did, the heat intensified.  
  
//...and you, are called the Knight.//  
  
"No!" Seifer denied aloud immediately. /I'm not that  
anymore./  
  
//...but I heard you. You still think of yourself as  
'her' Knight.//  
  
Seifer shook his head, /Sometimes./ He admitted  
reluctantly.  
  
//You enjoyed living for her. She gave you purpose.//  
  
With a little sigh Seifer slid to the ground. He  
pressed his back against the cold, hard tree. /Yes./  
  
//I too, can give you purpose.//  
  
/How?/  
  
He gasped as the world suddenly lit up. A brilliant  
flash of light and then a glowing form appeared before  
him. He gazed at the form with more than just a little  
horror. /Beautiful./ He gasped as he recognized the  
glowing form as... a man?  
  
No. An angel. A beautiful, large black wing arched  
from the left side of the man's figure. On his other  
side, a white wing of the same size. The man's long,  
silver hair cascaded down his body to his knees. His  
face was thin and elfin. His green eyes glowed with an  
unholy light. He was stunningly beautiful.  
  
//He is my son.//  
  
/Your... son?/  
  
As suddenly as the figure had appeared, it was gone  
again and Seifer was blinded by the ensuing flash of  
light. He closed his eyes.  
  
//Will you help me?//  
  
/.......yes./  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
8.4  
  
  
  
"Ifrit." Zell whispered.  
  
Quistis looked at him with a little frown. "What?"  
  
"It's not about the gunblade." Zell paced across the  
room and grabbed the gunblade from Quistis' hands.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It wasn't the summoning that took him away!" Zell  
grinned, excited as he held the gunblade over his  
head, "Look!"  
  
They all gazed at the handle of the gunblade.  
  
Selphie was the first to catch on. "There's nothing  
junctioned!" She gasped.  
  
Zell held up his fist, he was, as usual, wearing his  
combat gloves. He removed a little round jewel from  
his junctioning slots and threw it at Quistis. She  
caught it easily.  
  
"This is..?!" She gasped.  
  
"Right. Rinoa says the last thing she saw was Seifer  
summoning Ifrit... right? Well how could he? I have  
Ifrit."  
  
"How did you?"  
  
"I found it awhile back. Laying on the ground. I  
didn't think anything of it, just popped it into my  
glove and kept going. That's why I didn't remember."  
  
"But, how could Seifer summon Ifrit... if you have  
Ifrit junctioned?" Selphie asked, looking at the jewel  
in Quistis' hand with a little frown.  
  
"That, my dear, is what we need to figure out."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
8.5  
  
  
  
"Shinra..."  
  
Reno stared at Rufus' profile.  
"Ssshhhiiiinnrrrraaaaaa?" He drawled.  
  
Elena winced, "You are so obnoxious sometimes."  
  
He just flashed her an easy smile before playfully  
punching Rufus in the arm, "Hey!"  
  
Rufus jerked and looked away from the trees where  
Seifer had disappeared. "Huh?" He blinked at Reno a  
bit owlishly.  
  
"Say, Ellie dear. I think Shinra's in love." Reno said  
with a huge grin.  
  
Elena giggled and nodded, "I agree!"  
  
"What?!" Rufus glowered at the two and got to his  
feet, "Don't be ridiculous!"  
  
"You sit here gazing at the spot where he disappeared  
like you wish he'd come back. You drool all over my  
boots when he is around and you think he's not  
looking. God Shinra... even an idiot could see that  
you're in love." Reno brushed at his aforementioned  
boot.  
  
"I'm not in love with him! He's a man!" Rufus snorted  
indignantly. Though his heart was racing at the  
accusation. /I don't believe in love at first  
sight.../ He reminded himself.  
  
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed." Reno said with a little  
roll of his eyes. He chuckled, a quirkly smile curving  
his lips. "Isn't this sweet? Rude and Elena. Almasy  
and Shinra."  
  
"That just leaves you and Tseng." Elena snapped  
quickly.  
  
Reno's jaw dropped. He stared at Elena with shock. "Me  
and... Tseng?! C'mon! The guy's got such a big stick  
up his ass that I would never be able to-"  
  
Elena groaned and covered her ears, "I don't want to  
hear it!"  
  
Reno smiled mischeviously, "I mean how would I -ever-  
get any?"  
  
Rufus shook his head with a little sigh and he sat  
back down, positioning himself farther away from Reno.  
He glanced back, /...Why am I so fascinated by  
Seifer?/ He didn't realize that although he referred  
to Seifer as Almasy aloud, he always thought of him by  
his first name.  
  
"I'm not hearing this!" Elena cried, she began to hum  
loudly.  
  
"Although it would be 'extra' tight and -quite- an  
adventure." Reno mused.  
  
/He's strong. Intelligent. But there's.... a  
melancholy air about him... He reminds me.. of... me./  
Rufus rubbed his eyes, sighing again as his thoughts  
served only to confuse him further. /He -is- a lot  
like me... blond hair... blue eyes... calm and yet, I  
sense that he has a temper much like my own. Gah...  
what's wrong with me? Get your head out of the clouds  
Shinra. You're not in love. You can't be./  



	9. Chapter Nine

Notes: Anything within :: are flashbacks. Recent  
comments about the fight scene spawned the end of this  
fic. ^-^  
  
  
  
=Chapter Nine - Rise Up=  
  
  
  
9.1  
  
  
  
Tseng found him, lying by the tree. His eyes wide and  
unfocused. For a moment Tseng saw a glint of green in  
those predominantly blue eyes, but the moment passed  
and he shrugged it off as a trick of light. "Almasy?"  
  
Seifer blinked, his eyes focusing. He looked up at  
Tseng, a blank expression on his face. It almost  
seemed as if he didn't recognize the dark man. "You  
ready to go?" Tseng questioned.  
  
Seifer nodded, getting to his feet. "I'm ready."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
9.2  
  
  
  
The others were gone for the evening. They retreated  
to their respective rooms and Zell was left, once  
again, with that blasted gunblade. The body of the  
creature had been removed from his room, but even so,  
he could still feel it's presence.  
  
He stood in the center of the room, staring at the  
gunblade. "Where are you?" He whispered, stepping over  
to the gunblade.  
  
With a shaking hand he reached out and grabbed the  
handle. "Stupid bastard." He growled, lifting the  
gunblade and turning it uneasily.  
  
"Had to go and get yourself lost, didn't you?"  
  
With a sigh he put the gunblade back down and stumbled  
back to his bed. He collapsed on it and stared blankly  
at the ceiling. "Why do I care?"  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
9.3  
  
  
  
/What do you want me to do?/  
  
There was no response to his quiet query. He lifted  
his head, looking around with brilliant blue eyes  
narrow and hard. He glanced at the others, but they  
were in their own worlds. Focused only on their  
mission. Reno, the one with long, red hair was the  
only one who looked relaxed. Rufus looked troubled,  
lost in thought. Tseng looked much like Squall always  
did. Uncaring, and yet tense. Elena and Rude were  
walking side by side. Both looked lost in their own  
private thoughts.  
  
/So now you're not speaking to me?/  
  
//North.//  
  
/Hm../  
  
"There's something to the north."   
  
Tseng and Rufus looked back at him. "North?" Tseng's  
eyes narrowed, "Why do you say that?"  
  
"I can feel it." Seifer shrugged.  
  
"Let's go north then." Rufus commented quietly.  
  
After a short pause, Tseng nodded roughly and turned  
north. The others followed without question.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
9.4  
  
  
With a startled scream Quistis awoke, only to find  
herself staring into familiar green eyes. "Woah  
there," Irvine held up his hands in a gesture of  
peace, "Didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"Well what do you expect!" Quistis panted, "Coming in  
here while I'm sleeping and then ..."  
  
"I was just sitting here." Irvine shifted on the edge  
of her bed and looked across the room, "Thinking,  
mostly."  
  
Quistis sat up and reached up to brush back her hair.  
"About Seifer."  
  
"None of it makes sense, y'know. It feels so wrong.  
Like... almost like.." Irvine's lips tilted up, "Ah  
hell."  
  
Quistis placed her hand on his arm, "Almost like  
something more powerful were in control of it all.  
Like there's nothing we can do."  
  
He looked over and met her gaze. Then he noticed her  
hair. His eyes widened a little and he reached out to  
brush his hands through the blond, silky mass. "I've  
never seen it down." He commented softly, "You should  
wear it down more often. It looks... really nice."  
  
"Irvine.."   
  
"Sh." Irvine placed his finger against her lips. He  
shook his head, a quirky smile curving his lips,  
"Sorry for waking you."  
  
She grabbed his hand and pulled it away from her face,  
"It's all right."  
  
They were silent for a few, long moments. And then,  
very softly, Irvine said, "I feel as if he's not  
coming back."  
  
Quistis looked up, surprised to see tears in his eyes.  
"He is. We won't give up on him." She said, her voice  
strong and sure.  
  
Irvine met her gaze. With a tired nod he got to his  
feet. "I've lost too much in my life Q. My parents. My  
friends to the war. My innocence. I don't want to lose  
anymore friends." He tilted his hat to her, then  
walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind  
him.  
  
"Neither do I." Quistis laid back, pulling the covers  
up and shivering, "Neither do I."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
9.5  
  
  
  
It felt wrong. Rufus didn't understand why, but his  
skin was crawling. He stopped walking, to stare at the  
ominous looking trees before them. He'd never seen  
plants that looked quite like they did. It was almost  
as if.. they were alive. Watching him. Urging him  
forward, but to what means? So they could strangle the  
life out of him with their wooden limbs?   
  
He shook his head, /Idiot./ He berated himself  
sharply. /What are you thinking?/  
  
"What's your problem Shinra?" Reno's silky voice  
inquired.  
  
He looked over his shoulder at the red-head,  
"Nothing." He responded.  
  
"You feel it too, don't you?" Reno asked softly, his  
gaze turning to the trees.  
  
Rufus didn't respond, after all, how -could- he  
respond to that? "I've only felt evil this thick once  
before," Reno continued, "in your father's office,  
that day he was murdered."  
  
/Jenova./  
  
Rufus gasped, his eyes widening. This is what he was  
feeling. It wasn't the trees that were bothering him,  
it was the overwhelming scent of Jenova. He'd felt her  
presence only once before. He could still remember the  
putrid stench of decaying flesh and the thick air.   
  
/Not dead... but then../  
  
"Sephiroth." Reno voiced Rufus' next thought aloud.  
"He's here."  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
9.6  
  
  
::"Stop holding back!"  
  
With an angry shout Squall attacked, but Seifer  
blocked and eluded his fierce blows with little  
effort. "I know you're stronger than that! PROVE IT!"  
  
Squall jumped back, panting from the exertion. Before  
him Seifer was intent only on pushing Squall to the  
breaking point. He wanted Squall to show him just how  
good he truly was. He knew Squall was better than  
this. As Squall advanced again, Seifer lifted his  
hand. /Show me your true strength!/  
  
A flash of light, and heat.  
  
Squall was thrown to the ground from the force of the  
blow and before he could stand Seifer was standing  
before him. "Prove to me you're better."::  
  
"Squall?"  
  
Squall shook his head, shaking himself out of the  
memories. He looked to Rinoa, who was laying on the  
bed. Her face pale and her eyes troubled. "I feel...  
strange."  
  
Squall leaned over and took her hand in his, "I'll get  
the doctor."  
  
"No! Don't you feel it?" She cried, squeezing his hand  
tightly.  
  
He met her gaze for a few moments and then, he -did-  
feel it. A strange aching in his heart. A sense that  
-something- was wrong. His body was.. on fire.  
  
"Seifer..."  
  
She nodded quickly, "He's going to die Squall." Her  
face fell and tears entered her eyes, "Squall! He's  
going to die! I can feel it!"  
  
"Sh." He leaned closer, reaching up to cup her face  
with his hands, "You don't know that."  
  
"I don't know it. I -feel- it."  
  
Her tears touched his fingers and he stared at the wet  
trails with fascination.  
  
"Why do you care?" He asked, not meaning to ask it  
aloud but unable to stop himself.  
  
"Because he's my friend. He's your friend too..."  
  
/Is he?/ Squall leaned back, taking Rinoa's hand in  
his own again, /He always pushed me to be better. He  
always had confidence in me... He../  
  
His eyes widened, he glanced at Rinoa. In her eyes he  
could see love. Underneath the fear for Seifer, always  
love. She always looked at him with love. /He looked  
at me with... those eyes./  
  
  
  
***********************  



	10. Chapter Ten

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Ten - One Step Closer=  
  
  
10.1  
  
  
"We'll rest here for the evening." Tseng stated abruptly.  
  
Reno let out a little relieved sigh. The last place he wanted to was into those trees. He glanced at the sky, "Geez, I didn't realize how late it was." He commented, with a quirky smile.  
  
"We've been walking all day." Elena whined, stamping her sore feet.  
  
"Don't be such a baby Puss." Reno clucked his tongue disapprovingly, "How did you 'ever' become a Turk?"  
  
"The same way you did. I just fucked the right people." Elena snapped.  
  
"Ouch." Reno winced, "You had to fuck? Geez girl, I just did a few artfully executed blow-"  
  
"C'mon Vegas, let's set up camp." Tseng interrupted loudly.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
10.2  
  
  
  
/He loves me.../ Squall closed his eyes, a shiver passing through his body, /All this time.. and I didn't notice./  
  
"Squall?"  
  
/Why didn't I notice? It was so obvious. He never outright came and tried to... well, kiss me or anything but .. it was always there. In his eyes. In his actions.../  
  
"Squall? Are you all right? You look... so pale."  
  
"You knew. Didn't you?" He turned his eyes on her, and for once his roiling emotions were clear in his gaze.   
  
"Knew? Knew what?" She asked, with a worried frown.  
  
"His feelings..." He pulled his hand away from her grasp and got to his feet. With angry growl he buried his hands deep into his hair.  
  
"S-seifer's feelings.. but Squall... I thought you knew."  
  
"You thought I... how could I know!?" He dropped his hands and paced to the window, "No one ever told me!"  
  
He placed both his hands against the cool glass. "DAMMIT! Why wasn't I -told-?!"  
  
"How? How couldn't you -see-? Why did you need to be told?" Rinoa responded fiercely, "He laid his heart on the ground before your feet, and what did you do? You didn't notice!"  
  
He curled his hands into fists and banged them against the glass, hard. "HOW COULD I NOTICE?!!!"  
  
Rinoa flinched, surprised by Squall's outburst, "Squall...?"  
  
"I should have been told." He whispered, pressing his forehead against the glass. He gazed out, seeing only Seifer's eyes. Full of .. love.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
10.3  
  
  
  
"Tell me more about yourself."  
  
Seifer stiffened and turned his gaze to Rufus, "What?"  
  
"I'm just curious to know where you came from. How come you don't know who Sephiroth is? Why does the name Shinra mean nothing to you?"  
  
"Balamb Garden."  
  
Rufus blinked, and continued to look at Seifer with a little frown. "Huh?"  
  
"That's where I'm from."  
  
/They don't know Balamb./  
  
//Because this isn't your planet.//  
  
Seifer let out a little sigh, /I suspected as much./  
  
"Oh." Rufus shrugged, "I've never.. heard of it."  
  
"It's small." Seifer responded, looking at the fire they had built together, "I'm an orphan. I spent most of my childhood years in school, so I didn't have much contact with anything beyond the orphanage."  
  
"Ah." Rufus nodded, "That's why you've never heard of Sephiroth. But what about Shinra? Mako was everywhere when Shinra ruled. You must have heard of them."  
  
Seifer shrugged, "No. I didn't. We led an old-fashioned sort of life."  
  
"When did your... parents die? Do you remember them?"  
  
Seifer sighed, "When I was very young. I don't.. remember much about them. Mama ..." A small smile tilted his lips, "Mama used to smell of daffodils and spices. And Papa... I remember his voice."  
  
"I don't remember my mother." Rufus admitted reluctantly, "But my father was... not a very demonstrative man."  
  
"Your parents are dead?"  
  
"Yes." Rufus nodded, "Well, my father is. I don't know about my mother. She left when I was a child."  
  
"So you're an orphan also."  
  
Rufus nodded again, "That's right."  
  
"How old were you when your father died?" Seifer asked quietly.  
  
"I was... seventeen." Rufus laid his hands in his lap, "You know what's horrible? I didn't cry when he died. Actually, I was happy he -was- dead. I really hated him."  
  
"Better to have a father you hate, then no father at all."  
  
"I suppose. I mean, I hated my father, but there were times I was glad he was around. It didn't happen often, but sometimes.. sometimes he was half decent to me."  
  
"Better to focus on those times, then the times you hated him."  
  
Rufus smiled, "You're right."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
10.4  
  
  
  
"Irvine?"  
  
Irvine turned, automatically leaning against the railing. He had no idea the picture of grace he presented. "Hey there kiddo." He smiled easily, flicking his cigarette over the balcony.   
  
"Irvine... I .." She paused, a faint flush pinking her cheeks.  
  
He held out his hands, "C'mere kiddo."  
  
She rushed forward, grabbing his hands and squeezing. "Just relax. Tell Uncle Irvy all your troubles." Irvine murmured, his voice silky smooth.  
  
She giggled and moved forward to wrap her arms around his waist. She pressed her face to his shirt, "Uncle Irvy?"  
  
"Only to you kid."  
  
"I need to talk to you."  
  
"I guessed that." Irvine responded, placing his hands on her hips and lowering his head so he could kiss the top of her head.  
  
"Irvine... I.... I think I'm in love."  
  
"Hey, that's great kid!"  
  
"B-but, there's a bit of a p-problem." She continued, her cheeks so warm she was sure Irvine could feel the heat, even through his shirt.  
  
"Oh? What could be the problem? Too shy to tell him?"  
  
"No... she's in love with someone else..."  
  
Irvine choked, then sputtered, then choked again. When he recovered from his shock he laughed, "Ah! I see. So you came down here to ask me to take him out?"  
  
She was startled. She wasn't expecting him to accept it so easily. She smiled, laughing softly and hugging him closer. "Yes! Can you?"  
  
"Sorry babe. No can do. With great power comes great responsibility." He quoted, his smile clear in his tone.  
  
She shrugged, "Ah well... what should I do Irvine?"  
  
"Tell her how you feel." Irvine responded immediately, "Even if she -is- in love with someone else she does have a right to know how you feel. And you'll feel better once you've told her and it's not secret."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Sure." He paused a moment, then asked quietly, "Can I ask you who she is?"  
  
She was quiet for a long time, "Quistis."  
  
"Q!" Irvine gasped with a surprised laugh, "But.. but then who's -she- in love with?"  
  
Selphie tilted her head back so she could meet his questioning gaze, "You."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
10.5  
  
  
  
"Tseng." Reno sighed, walking to Tseng's side and watching as the man loaded his weapon, "Rude and Elena are busy communing with nature, Rufus and Seifer are busy courting and I'm left all alone with nothing to do."  
  
"So." Tseng responded, clicking the gun closed and raising it. He took careful aim on a tree several feet away.  
  
"Will you be my friend?" The plea was plaintive and full of mischief.  
  
Tseng's eyes narrowed. He turned his head in Reno's direction just as the Turk leaned his face close. "You and I. Elena's idea isn't so bad I think." Reno murmured before capturing Tseng's lips with his own in a kiss that made his knees shake.  
  
He expected to be pushed away, or shot, instead his kiss was returned with fervor. He moaned, a smile tilting his lips as Tseng's tongue pushed it's way into his mouth. He reached out and grabbed the edge of Tseng's pants.   
  
Just as his eyes were closing, the sound of gunfire snapped him out of heaven and right into hell. He heard it first, then he felt it. A strange burning in his side. He pulled away from Tseng, feeling as if he were in a dream. Then he pressed his fingers against his side. Something wet and warm touched them. He pulled his hand away and raised it. Blood.  
  
Reno smiled mirthlessly, his sense of the ironic outweighing his fear of death, "I knew it was too good to be true." He murmured before passing out from the sudden and fierce pain that gripped his body.  
  
  
  
*********************** 


	11. Chapter Eleven

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Notes: Well, guess everyone is getting into this little fic. Reno, Rude, Tseng, Elena, Rufus, Jenova, Sephiroth and now.... ~-~ You'll have to read to find out.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Eleven - Crimson=  
  
  
11.1  
  
  
  
"She's in love with me?" Irvine repeated numbly.  
  
Selphie nodded, "C'mon Irvine, how couldn't you notice?"  
  
"..." /Shit/  
  
"She really adores you. I think she has since she accepted that what she feels for Squall is just a crush."  
  
"Ah, kiddo, I would kill myself if that would make her love you." He offered softly.  
  
Selphie shook her head, burying her nose in his shirt and breathing in deeply. He smelled so good. He made her feel so safe and warm. She loved him too, but not like that. He was her big brother. More special to her than all the others.  
  
"I don't want to make her love me Irvine."  
  
He nodded and kissed her head. They hugged for a while longer, then she pulled back, placing her hands on his hips. His hands were still on hers. If anyone walked past at that moment they would look like lovers secretly meeting on the balcony. "And what about you Irvine? Who do you love?" Selphie asked with a little smile.  
  
"Love eludes me Selphie-darlin'. It's not an emotion I've been blessed with." Irvine responded flippantly.  
  
Selphie saw through his careless words. She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand, "Who do -you- love Irvine?"  
  
"Selphie," Irvine turned his face away from her touch, "I haven't had time to love anyone."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.2  
  
  
  
"Reno!"  
  
Rufus jolted to his feet, his eyes scanning the area. He too, had heard the gunshots. "C'mon Almasy!" He shouted, pulling out his weapon and running towards the sound of Tseng's yell.  
  
/Smells like death./ Rufus thought as he dodged the trees. He stopped short when he came upon Tseng and Reno. Reno lay, eyes closed, body still, in a pool of his own blood. Tseng stood beside him, gun raised, eyes searching the shadowed trees frantically. "Reno!" When no further shots rang out, Tseng dropped to his knees beside his fallen partner. "Reno!"  
  
Rufus rushed over to the two, "Is he alive?" he asked shortly.  
  
"This way." Seifer called, gesturing to the north, "Whoever fired those shots went this way."  
  
Rufus glanced back, "Take care of him Tseng." He ordered, but he knew Tseng wasn't listening. At the moment the dark man was focused only on Reno.  
  
"C'mon Reno... c'mon.. don't you die..."  
  
Rufus turned, just in time to see Seifer running to the forest to the north. The forest that stunk of Jenova. He hesitated, but one glance down at Reno and his feet were pulling him in the direction of that damned forest.   
  
"Christ," He muttered, "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.3  
  
  
/Who attacked them?/ Seifer didn't pause once as he ran. Any obstacle that presented itself to him he either jumped, dodged or ran right through.   
  
//I told you.//  
  
/You told me what?!/  
  
//To come north.//  
  
/I was coming./  
  
//I have waited too long.. I will wait no longer.//  
  
/What's your problem? What's one night?/ He viciously pushed branches out of his way as he ran deeper and deeper into the forest that smelt a lot like decaying flesh. The deeper into the trees he got, the more it stunk.  
  
//I wait for no man.//  
  
/Fuck you!/  
  
The silence that gripped his thoughts after that left him feeling dizzy.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.4  
  
  
  
"I figured it out." Zell burst into the room without knocking.  
  
Rinoa looked up, surprised to see the energetic blond. He had only visited her once since she'd been put into the infirmary. "Figured what out?" She asked softly, trying to act as if she hadn't been crying just moments before.  
  
"Why I'm so bothered by his disappearance." Zell paced to the window, standing in almost the exact same spot Squall had been standing in just moments earlier.  
  
"Seifer's disappearance?" While his back was turned she reached up and quickly wiped her eyes.  
  
He turned, "Exactly."   
  
"So, why are you so bothered by his disappearance?" /Since when -is- he bothered by Seifer's disappearance?/ She wondered as she watched the short blond hop. He probably didn't realize he was doing it. He had a habit of hopping on his heels when he was really nervous or excited.  
  
"Because I like him." Zell gasped, he hadn't meant to say it to her, but he had to tell -someone-. "I do. I mean, he's been my only friend for a long time. He was there for me when I first came to Balamb and even though he was a real bastard, he did it because he liked me too. I didn't realize it before, but, he was always there when I needed help. He's my friend."  
  
Rinoa couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, "He's your friend?"  
  
Zell's face split in a wide grin, "He's my friend Rinoa. He's my friend! That's why I care!"  
  
He clapped his hand once, then hurried to her side. "I'm glad..." Rinoa whispered, tears entering her eyes.  
  
"We're going to get him back Rinoa. I'm going to make sure of it." He took her hand in his and squeezed it, then he whirled and rushed out of the room as abruptly as he'd come in.  
  
The door slammed shut behind him and Rinoa closed her eyes. Tears tracking down her cheeks.   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.5  
  
  
  
"Seifer!? Seifer!"  
  
Rufus stopped, leaning over as he tried to catch his breath. There was no sign of the strange blond. "Dammit Seifer!"  
  
"You feel her, don't you?"  
  
Rufus jerked, whirling around and raising his gun. But before he could level it on the one who had spoken it was knocked roughly out of his hand. He stared at the newcomer, his expression frozen with shock. "Calm down President."  
  
Rufus swallowed and slowly straightened his posture. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.  
  
"I've come because I've heard her calling. You cannot hear her, but you can feel her." The man responded, his crimson eyes glowing in the darkness, "She wishes to revive Sephiroth."  
  
"What? But she can't..."  
  
"You felt him too. That's why this place put fear in your heart." The man with crimson eyes knelt and picked up Rufus' gun.   
  
"He's dead."  
  
"The Lifesteam holds him, but there is a way out. Your friend will release him." The ex-Turk stood and held out the gun, "Take your weapon. Follow me."  
  
"Almasy? Why... How could he release Sephiroth?" Rufus asked with a frown.  
  
"How can a man travel between worlds? How can the sun rise and set? Don't limit yourself to the how." The gun was pushed closer to Rufus.  
  
After hesitating only a moment Rufus reached out and took the gun from the ex-Turk. "Come."  
  
/Vincent Valentine./ Rufus gripped his weapon tightly as the ex-Turk turned and walked away. /I never thought I'd see your face again./  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.6  
  
  
  
//Focus.//  
  
Seifer stood stiffly, his gaze arrested by the ethereal form before him. /On what./  
  
//On him.//  
  
/So beautiful./ Seifer watched as the angel he'd seen before slowly stepped closer. In his left hand he still gripped his weapon, but it was more out of instinct than any thought of self-preservation.   
  
//Let him touch you.//  
  
Seifer trembled at the thought, but he didn't argue. As the angel drew closer a strange fear and sickness gripped his heart. /This is wrong./  
  
//No. Just let him touch you.//  
  
He fought the bile rising in his throat. Closer yet the angel edged. When they were almost a foot apart he realized what was wrong. Behind those glowing green eyes... there was no soul.  
  
/No./ He stepped back.  
  
//Yes. Don't be afraid. He won't hurt you.//  
  
Lifeless eyes gazed at him, and he shook his head. /NO!/  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
11.7  
  
  
  
/He loved me./ Squall sat down heavily on his bed. /All this time he loved me and I never realized./  
  
He lay back, his feet dangling off the edge of the bed. He thought of Seifer, of the many times the boy had tried to befriend him and he'd brushed him off. With a sigh he placed his hands on his stomach and closed his eyes.  
  
/I have to find him... if only to ask him... why?/  
  
/Why does he love.../  
  
/me../  
  
  
  
*********************** 


	12. Chapter Twelve

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Twelve - Confusing what is Real=  
  
  
12.1  
  
  
  
"Reno," Tseng anxiously pressed his hand against Reno's cheek, he immediately jerked away when he saw the bloody handprint his hand left on that pale flesh. His hands were covered in blood, Reno's blood. He cast another cure spell, but the magic had no affect on the wound in Reno's side. "Please Reno..."  
  
Reno moaned softly, turning his head, but he didn't regain consciousness. "What's going on?!" Elena, looking ruffled and thoroughly kissed rushed upon the scene. She stopped, gasping with horror when she saw Reno.  
  
"Mako bullets." Tseng glanced up, "The magic won't work. Reno open your eyes!"  
  
"Magic can't heal wounds inflicted by Mako." Rude commented quietly as he walked up behind Elena.  
  
She reached back and grabbed his hand, her eyes filling with tears. "Reno.."  
  
Tseng ripped off his jacket, tossing it aside he also pulled off his shirt. He ripped it into pieces, wadded the material up and pressed it against the wound in Reno's side. "You can't die on me Vegas." Tseng said hoarsely, holding the ripped shirt against Reno's side as he leaned down, "Dammit Reno, if you die I'll kill your sorry ass."  
  
At this, Reno's eyes fluttered open. He groaned, shifting and trying to push Tseng's hands away from his side, "Christ ..." He groaned, "that.. hurts ss.. sing.."  
  
Tseng sighed with a small measure of relief. Reno wasn't dead and that was a good thing. But now he had to figure out how to help the wounded man, "Elena, you took that course in first aid?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Get your ass down here and help him then!"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
12.2  
  
  
  
"I did tell you to tell her kiddo, but don't you think it'd be better to wait for morning?" Irvine asked with a little laugh as they walked to Quistis' room.  
  
"No. I have to tell her now." Selphie stopped walking suddenly, "Can you wait here? I'll tell you how it went when I get back."  
  
"Sure." Irvine shrugged and reached up to scratch the back of his head.  
  
Selphie flashed him a bright smile, then she turned and hurried off. "Q.... in love with me?" Irvine laughed a little nervously and paced to the bench. He sat down heavily and leaned forward, placing his elbows by his knees. "Who woulda' thought?"  
  
/'Who are you in love with?'/  
  
Irvine shook his head with a wry smile, "If only you knew kiddo."  
  
"Irvine! HEY IRVINE!"  
  
Irvine looked up just in time to see Zell barrelling towards him. He got to his feet and held out his hands, "Woah there partner!" /Speak of the devil./  
  
Zell leaped, heedless of the hands, and pounced on Irvine. Laughing all the way. Irvine cried out in surprise as he was tackled to the ground by an overactive bundle of blond energy. It took a minute for his head to stop buzzing, when it did he realized Zell was talking to him. However, the blond fighter was speaking so fast none of the words could process in Irvine's now muddled brain.  
  
"Woah! Slow down Dincht!" Irvine grabbed Zell's arms and pushed the shorter man to the side. He sat up and brushed at his jacket. "What's the big deal?" In truth he was used to Zell tackling him, the silly blond did it everytime he was excited. Get excited, hunt down Irvine and tackle him, spout off and then run away, leaving Irvine confused. That's what Irvine had gotten used to.  
  
However, the blond didn't run off this time. "I figured it out!" He declared happily, sitting up and tucking his feet under him so he was sitting in a cross-legged position.  
  
"Figured it out did you? Well good for you," Irvine reached over and patted Zell's shoulder, "It's about time!"  
  
"Yeah! I'm so... wait," Zell's happy smile dissolved into a puzzled frown, "how did you know what -I- figured out?"  
  
"I didn't." Irvine grinned and got to his feet, he brushed at the back of his jacket. When one was knocked to the ground so unceremoniously, one's jacket often got wrinkles and/or dirt on it.   
  
"Well then..." Zell shook his head, "Ah, who cares! Irvine! I figured out why I'm so worried about Seifer!" He bounced to his feet.  
  
"Because he's your friend and even though he's a bastard, you like him." Irvine commented calmly as he sat back down on the bench.  
  
"B-but..." Zell gaped at Irvine, surprised.  
  
"How did I know? Call me psychic." Irvine brushed at an imaginary speck on his shoulder.  
  
Zell huffed and walked over to the bench, with a little sigh he plopped down beside Irvine. "So, am I the only one who didn't know?"  
  
"No. Squall didn't know. But the girls knew that you liked Seifer." Irvine reached under his jacket and pulled out a cigarette. He placed it between his lips.  
  
Before he could light it up Zell grabbed it and tossed it on the floor. "A guy is my friend for years, and everybody knows but me!" Zell groaned, but his brief spurt of self-pity didn't last long. His face split in a huge grin, "We're going to get him back Irvine!"  
  
"That's right." Irvine nodded, reaching into his jacket for another cigarette, but when he pulled it out, Zell once again knocked it away.  
  
"And you know how?"  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"I'm going to use his gunblade and summon Ifrit myself!"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
12.3  
  
  
  
"Too late." Valentine muttered as they drew near. The trees in this area were so thick it was hard to walk, let alone see anything.  
  
Rufus, face scratched from branches that had slapped him, feet aching from the many tumbles he'd taken, stepped up behind Valentine and peered past him. "What's too late?"  
  
"Sephiroth is entering..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Rufus pushed Valentine aside and hurried forward, "We're not giving up yet Valentine! MOVE YOUR BUTT!"  
  
Valentine smiled wryly, but he followed nonetheless. /Still strong Rufus Shinra. That was always your greatest attribute/   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
12.4  
  
  
  
The hands touched his arm and the fire in the pit of his stomach burst into a raging storm. He tried to jerk away but suddenly he couldn't move. The angel placed both it's hands on his arms. "Don't touch me." He hissed, but the angel didn't seem to hear. It continued to stare at him with those soulless eyes.  
  
/move move move/ He urged his body, but it would not and he could not get away.  
  
//You see, my son lost his body when he was sent to the Lifestream... Your body will do quite nicely I think... as a replacement.//  
  
"WHAT?" Seifer fought harder against the invisible hands that gripped his brain.   
  
//I will give you a purpose, and your purpose will be to sacrifice yourself for my son.//  
  
"Like hell it will be!" Seifer snarled.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
12.5  
  
  
  
"UNCLE! Stop! By Hyne you're got the hands of Lucifer himself!" Reno wailed, struggling to push Elena's hands off his aching body.  
  
"Hold still Reno!" Elena snapped, tying off the last stitch, "I'm done. Quit your whining."  
  
Tseng kneelt beside Reno across from Elena. He held Reno down by his shoulders, "Dammit Reno, we're just trying to help you." He growled.  
  
"TRYING TO KILL ME IS MORE LIKE IT!"  
  
Elena couldn't help but snicker as she ripped her shirt into bandage sized strips. "I'd say he's feeling better already."  
  
"Reno, shut up. You're giving me a headache." Tseng sighed.  
  
"ELENA GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF M-MPH!"  
  
Elena gaped at the two, shocked by the sight of Tseng, her stoic boss, kissing Reno quite passionately. "Get the bandages on while he's distracted." Rude murmured.  
  
"R-right." Elena stuttered, quickly wrapping the bandages around Reno's chest.  
  
After a few moments Tseng pulled back reluctantly. Reno gazed up at him with his lips parted as he gasped for air. "All done." Elena declared.  
  
"Bullshit it's done." Reno said gruffly, reaching up to grab Tseng's shoulders and pull him down for another heated kiss.  
  
  
*********************** 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Notes: Whew.... .  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Thirteen - Sacrifice=  
  
  
13.1  
  
  
  
/So this is it... death./  
  
He was floating in a sea of white. He could hear nothing, he could see nothing but the brilliant white light. Blissfully he could feel nothing either. He was numb. He lay, feeling as if he was weightless, and just enjoyed the feather light sensation. /It's nice./  
  
//This is the way you felt with her.//  
  
/Better... better then how she made me feel./  
  
//Open your mind to him. Let him join you.//  
  
He could feel something pushing at the back of his head. Something that was trying to get in. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable. He shook his head.  
  
/No./  
  
//Don't be afraid. You won't feel pain, and you won't die. You will remain here, until he has completed his purpose.//  
  
It -was- nice here. Warm... safe. But ... He shook his head again, /No./ He repeated, stronger this time.  
  
/I can't live like that./  
  
//You have no choice.//  
  
/Yes. I do./  
  
With a sigh, because he regretted to leave this place, he opened his eyes.   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.2  
  
  
  
"I love you." The words were easier to say than she'd expected. She stared at Quistis, her eyes wide and pleading, 'Please don't hate me.' She begged with those eyes.  
  
Quistis could only stare. /Love me... she loves me.../ She closed her eyes with a little sigh, "Selphie..."  
  
"I know. You're in love with Irvine.. but I had to tell you." Selphie said quickly, her heart breaking just a little.  
  
"No. Selphie, I am honored." Quistis opened her eyes and leaned toward the smaller girl, "And I don't love Irvine."  
  
"You are? You don't?" Selphie could only stare, her stomach twisting as hope planted itself in her fragile heart.  
  
"I am. And I don't." Quistis couldn't help the smile that curved her lips. Now wasn't the time to be amused but the girl's bemused expression was just too much.  
  
"Soo.." Selphie coughed and fidgeted nervously in her seat, "What now?"  
  
"What now? I do believe this is where you-" Quistis leaned close and whispered in Selphie's ear.  
  
Selphie blushed and giggled. "Quistis!"  
  
Quistis just smiled, "Why don't you have breakfast with me in the morning."  
  
Selphie nodded quickly, "Okay!"  
  
"I'll see you then, all right?"  
  
Selphie nodded again and got to her feet, "Thank you Quisty!"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.3  
  
  
  
"Reno." Tseng mumbled against ardent lips that refused to let him break away.   
  
Reno's hands wandered down and quite firmly grabbed Tseng's ass. Tseng gasped and forcefully pulled away from Reno's kiss. "Reno!"  
  
"Sing sing?" Reno smiled and licked his lips, "You taste good."  
  
"I take it you're feeling better?" Tseng growled, shifting as Reno's hands grew more bold.  
  
"Oh, I feel just fine." Reno purred.  
  
"Good." Tseng grabbed Reno's hands and pulled them away from his ass. "Then we can go after Shinra and Almasy."  
  
"Ne?" Reno pouted, "But I'm wounded...."  
  
Tseng laughed and got to his feet, he grabbed Reno's arm and pulled the ex-Turk to his feet. "Come on Vegas, don't tell me you're going to let a little bullet stop you."  
  
Reno sighed and shrugged, "All right."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.4  
  
  
  
"Let go of him!" Rufus raised his gun and fired three shots.  
  
They impacted with his target, but the target didn't even flinch. "Shit." He murmured, his finger tightening on the trigger again.  
  
"Don't bother." Valentine said quietly, "He's not of this world.. physical attacks won't harm him."  
  
"We have to do something!" Rufus growled angrily.  
  
Valentine sighed softly, /What can we do? His body is not real and his soul is in the Lifestream. There is no way to harm him./  
  
"Seifer?" Rufus called, "You all right?"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.5  
  
  
  
"Zell, this is -not- a good idea." Irvine commented uneasily as Zell lifted the gunblade and glanced around quickly to make sure no one was around.  
  
"Shh." Zell hissed, "I'm concentrating."  
  
"Zell." Irvine growled, but the little fighter was not going to listen to him. /Shit./ He ran a hand through his hair and paced a few feet away. He couldn't stand the tension. Sure, nothing happened when Squall did this, but that was Squall and Irvine could care less if Squall dropped from the face of the earth.  
  
He would die if something happened to Zell.  
  
"Okay, here goes." Zell said, taking a deep breath.  
  
He closed his eyes, and called upon Ifrit.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.6  
  
  
  
/'Seifer?'/  
  
Seifer's eyes snapped open. He gazed into lifeless green eyes but all he could see was a familiar blond head and brilliant, glowing blue eyes. /Rufus?/  
  
He turned his head. Rufus was standing just a few feet away, his eyes wide and full of worry. /Worry.... for me?/  
  
"You all right?"  
  
/All right... am I.. all right?/ Seifer blinked several times, and turned his head again. Those green eyes were starting to fill with life. /Beautiful.../ The back of his head hurt. It was so hard to think.   
  
"Sep.. sephiroth..." he whispered, his voice so thin he could barely hear himself. /He is Sephiroth..../  
  
The fire burning in his stomach burst, and he arched his back as agony gripped him. But the angel, Sephiroth, didn't move. Green eyes, full of new life stared into Seifer's own eyes with confusion. ".. whe..where?.." The voice was soft and silky smooth.  
  
There was a moment of complete silence, and then the sky darkened. Rufus and Valentine looked up as a summon creature, bathed in fire, appeared in the sky. "Ifrit." Rufus said softly, only it wasn't Ifrit. At least... it didn't look like the Ifrit he was used to.  
  
"Who summoned him?" Valentine murmured, looking around, searching with his eyes. But he could see nothing.  
  
The flames of hell itself descended on Sephiroth's angelic body. Seifer was caught in the cross fire. He cried out in pain and pulled back. Finally he could feel his body. He fell to the ground, and covered his head instinctively as the flames burned at Sephiroth's body.   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
13.7  
  
  
  
Irvine watched with horror as Zell's body flickered back into existance. His clothes were charred, his face black with soot. Soft blue eyes looked at him, then Zell slumped to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"ZELL!"  
  
Irvine ran to Zell's side, falling to his knees and anxiously pressing his hands against Zell's pale cheeks. "Zell..."  
  
  
  
*********************** 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Fourteen - Warm In Your Arms=  
  
  
14.1  
  
  
  
"Seifer!"  
  
Rufus dropped to his knees by Seifer's side. Anxiously he placed his hands on Seifer's shoulders. "Seifer, are you all right?"  
  
Seifer let his arms fall and he slowly blinked his eyes open. He gazed up at Rufus with a little frown. He opened his mouth to speak but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know for sure if he -was- all right. His entire body was numb with shock. /Ifrit.../  
  
/Where did Ifrit come from?/  
  
"You're burnt." Rufus said quietly, he cast a quick cure spell. The burns on Seifer's face slowly faded away. "Seifer?"  
  
/He's never called me by my first name before./ Seifer breathed in deeply, surprised when he could do so with little pain. The cure spell had eased away much of his injuries. "I'm all right." He said hoarsely.  
  
"Sephiroth is gone." Rufus hid his relief, he didn't understand the odd emotion and he certainly didn't want anyone to see it.   
  
"Not gone." Valentine commented, slipping his gun back under his cape, "Just retreated. We should leave here. Jenova is still near."  
  
"Jenova..." Seifer whispered, but no one heard him.  
  
"Can you stand?" Rufus asked, looking down at Seifer.  
  
Seifer nodded, but when he sat up and attempted to stand he found that the world spun dizzily around him. He didn't protest when Rufus wrapped an arm around his waist. He simply wrapped his arm around Rufus' shoulders and held on tightly.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
14.2  
  
  
"Zell! C'mon Zell! Open your eyes."  
  
Zell moaned softly, warm arms were holding him tightly and his face was pressed against something solid. Whoever was holding him smelt really good. The voice that was calling him sounded oddly familiar.   
  
"Open your eyes dammit!"  
  
Zell's eyes snapped open at that. He gazed at the white shirt pressed against his face, then he turned his head so he could look up at the one who was holding him.  
  
"Irvine?"  
  
"Shit!" Irvine sighed with relief, "You had me worried! Gawd! Don't -ever- do that again!"  
  
"Worried? Do ..." Zell jerked in Irvine's arms, "Irvine! Did... Did Ifrit appear?"  
  
"No. But YOU disappeared." Irvine said sharply.  
  
"Irvine! Irvine, I figured it out!"  
  
Irvine groaned, "Not again!"  
  
"No! NO! I DID this time!" Zell grasped Irvine's shirt with both his hands, "I know how to get Seifer back!"  
  
"We're not doing this again Zell!"  
  
Zell pushed at Irvine's chest as he attempted to stand, but Irvine wouldn't let him go. "Irvine?"  
  
"Do you love him?" Irvine snapped quite suddenly.  
  
"Wh-what?" Zell gaped at Irvine. /Do I love him? Where did that come from? Do... Do I look like... I love him?/  
  
"You sure seem hell bent on getting him back. More so than everyone else. Is it because you love him?!" Irvine's gaze demanded an answer. His arms tightened around Zell's small body.  
  
"I... I don't know." Zell admitted reluctantly, "I mean.. I-I never really thought about it."  
  
Irvine's face darkened. The arms that had been holding Zell so tightly loosened. Zell stumbled to his feet and he stared down at Irvine's bent head, covered by the ever-present cowboy hat. /Why is he acting so odd?/ He wondered. He tried to think of some reason for Irvine's odd behavior, but he could think of nothing.  
  
"I'm going to go get the others... they should be here for my new idea."  
  
Irvine just nodded. After hesitating for a moment Zell ran off to find the others.   
  
He almost regretted leaving.  
  
He'd been so warm in Irvine's arms.   
  
/Where did -that- thought come from?/ Zell wondered. He stopped running and whirled around to stare at Irvine who was still kneeling on the floor where he'd left him. Head bent and body still. A strange lump formed in his throat. He pressed a hand against his stomach.  
  
/What... is this strange feeling?/  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
14.3  
  
  
  
"Selphie?"  
  
Selphie stopped at the door and turned slowly, her heart beating in overtime. "Y-yes?"  
  
"You didn't kiss me goodnight."  
  
Selphie was sure she'd tripped and hit her head, for surely this must be a dream. With knees that shook she slowly walked to Quistis' side. The blonde got to her feet and smiled at Selphie. "K-kiss you?" Selphie repeated, wanting to be sure she'd heard correctly.  
  
"Yes."   
  
Quistis bent her head and very gently pressed her lips against Selphie's. The kiss was awkward, and quick, but it was sweet in it's innocence. Selphie gasped as Quistis straightened. "Good night Selphie." She whispered.  
  
Selphie nodded, "N-night Quisty..." hastily she turned and hurried away, her heart beating in overtime.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
14.4  
  
  
  
"Tseng..."  
  
"I think they're ... this way." Elena pointed to the west.  
  
"Tseng..."  
  
Tseng nodded, ignoring Reno's soft voice calling his name. "There's no evidence of them travelling that way." He commented.  
  
"Tseeeeng.."  
  
"Yes, but there's no evidence of travel ANYWHERE in this STUPID FOREST!" Elena screamed, stamping her foot angrily.  
  
Tseng and Reno both stared at Elena with surprise in their eyes. She coughed, patted her hair with her hand and smiled sweetly. "Which way do you suggest we go?" She asked calmly.  
  
"Tseng...?"  
  
"North."  
  
"Tseng!?"  
  
"Very well."  
  
"TSENG!!!"  
  
Tseng looked down at Reno with an upraised eyebrow. "Yes Vegas?"  
  
"They're right behind us you idiot!" Reno snapped, upset that he'd been ignored for so long.  
  
Tseng and Elena whirled around, their eyes immediately locking on the form of Rufus Shinra and Seifer Almasy. "Who's that with them?" Elena murmured.  
  
"Vincent Valentine." Reno and Tseng looked at each other.  
  
"What's he doing here?" They said in unision.  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
14.5  
  
  
  
"How is he?" Rufus asked as Reno, Tseng and Elena approached.   
  
"Alive, kicking and able to speak for himself." Reno responded with a grin, "It was no biggee Shinra. What about him?" He nodded at Seifer.  
  
"Disoriented. Tired." Seifer mumbled, he barely glanced up as he spoke. The only thing keeping him standing was Rufus' arm around his waist.  
  
"Well, let's get back to camp then..."  
  
"Did you find the ones who attacked us?" Tseng asked.  
  
"We didn't find the ones who fired, but we found the one who sent them." Rufus responded carefully.  
  
"Who was it?"   
  
Rufus looked down at Seifer's bent head. He reached up and grabbed Seifer's hand, which was hanging over his shoulder. "Jenova." He said finally, before turning and walking away.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
14.6  
  
  
  
"Squall?" She called hesitantly.  
  
After a moment he stepped into the room, his face dark. Any emotion he might be feeling was hidden behind a careful mask. He didn't look at her as he walked further into the room. Instead he looked around. Studying the walls and gazing at the bed with uncommon interest. "Squall?"  
  
"What was the last thing he said?"  
  
She closed her eyes, trying to remember. When she opened them again she was smiling. "Dammit Rinoa. You're the one who needs help." Tears rose in her eyes. "He... He didn't want to leave me, but I begged him to help you."  
  
His eyes were angry as they finally fixed on her face. "How can I believe you when you say he loves me? You had to -beg- him to help me?" He paced over to the bed and leaned over her, "How can I believe you?"  
  
"Don't believe me Squall." She lifted her hand and gently pressed it against his chest, "Believe him. What you -saw- in him. The things he did, the way he acted when you were around. You were the only one he treated with respect... didn't you ever wonder why?"  
  
He was quiet. He met her gaze levelly and leaned down further. Very softly he kissed her. When he finally pulled away she was breathless. It was the first time -he- had kissed -her-. Normally she was the one kissing him.  
  
He stood, taking her hand in his and squeezing it. "Sorry." he said softly.  
  
And then he was gone.  
  



	15. Chapter Fifteen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Notes: Wow... nothing's happening in this one. ^-^ Surprise, surprise. But don't forget Zell-kun. He's up to no good. Story is almost done. *SIGH* I would like to explore it a -lot- more, but I know if I do it'll take MONTHS to finish. ;) So instead I'll finish it before I can think of more ways to torture everyone. ^-^ Feedback is more than welcome. And thank you to everyone who has read this story.   
  
Kitty? I showed you mine... *SMILE* When are you going to show me more of yours. *evil snicker*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Fifteen - A Kiss=  
  
  
15.1  
  
  
  
He wasn't sure when it happened, but Seifer had passed out. Rufus shifted his hold and after hesitating for a moment he stopped and bent to pick Seifer up. He had a feeling that if Seifer woke and found himself in Rufus' arms that he would be dead meat, but he couldn't just drag Seifer all the way back to their little camp. Seifer was surprisingly light. /Or maybe I'm stronger than I thought./ Rufus mused, looking down at Seifer's face.  
  
/So beautiful./  
  
"Woo Shinra. Looks like you found yourself a girlfriend finally." Reno said teasingly.  
  
Rufus turned his head to glower at Reno. The red-head's mouth closed with a snap. "Uh.."  
  
"Shut up Turk." Rufus snapped.  
  
Tseng placed a hand on Reno's arm. "But I-" Reno glanced up at Tseng and his apology cut short. With a little sigh he dropped back to walk beside Elena and Rude.  
  
"What happened?" Tseng asked Rufus quietly.  
  
"Jenova was using this.. boy, to awaken Sephiroth." Valentine responded.  
  
Tseng glanced at the dark man, "Using him? How?"  
  
"Sephiroth no longer has a body, only a spirit."   
  
Rufus held Seifer tighter. /We almost lost him. Just a bit longer and Sephiroth would have.../ He cut the thought short. Just thinking about it made him feel ill.  
  
/How did I.. become so attached to him in such a short time?/  
  
"So he wanted Almasy's body." Tseng nodded. He understood now. "But why Almasy?"  
  
Valentine was quiet, but there was something about his silence that made both Tseng and Rufus look at him. "What is it?" Rufus asked sharply after a moment, "What do you know?"  
  
Valentine smiled, a brief, enigmatic smile. "Nothing." He stopped walking. "I see nothing. I hear nothing. I know nothing." He bowed shallowly, almost mockingly, "Mr. President." then he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the trees.  
  
"That guy always gave me the creeps." Reno muttered to Elena.  
  
"Vampire."  
  
Reno looked at her, and he couldn't help but laugh. "What?"  
  
"I heard he's a vampire. He sleeps in coffins and.. stuff." Elena admitted with a little blush.  
  
"Hell, could be. With Hojo's experiments you just never know, do you?"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
15.2  
  
  
  
/So.. ./  
  
/This is it.../  
  
/He probably does love Seifer. Everyone seems to.../  
  
/Why? I just can't figure it out./  
  
/What does he have that... no. I'm not going to go there./  
  
Irvine sighed and slumped further. He crouched near the floor, his elbows resting on his thighs, his hands dangling between his knees. He just didn't have the energy to move.  
  
/So this is it../  
  
/This is what it feels like to have a broken heart./  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
15.3  
  
  
  
/Alone again./  
  
Seifer lay stiffly on the cold, hard mat. He didn't open his eyes, the darkness was strangely comforting. He knew he was alone. He could feel it. The silence in his head bothered him. The silence around him bothered him more.  
  
He couldn't remember coming here, or who laid him on the mat, but he knew he was in a tent. And it was cold, so he decided it must be later in the evening. He wondered briefly how long he'd been unconscious, but then he dismissed that line of thought. It didn't matter.  
  
Once again he was a knight with no purpose. No country to serve. No queen to protect. He had nothing.  
  
And the glaring silence in his head was mocking him.  
  
The rustling of cloth made him open his eyes. "Oh.. you're awake." Rufus stepped into the tent and let the flap that acted as a door slide shut behind him. He stood awkwardly in the entrance, just watching Seifer.  
  
Seifer met Rufus' gaze levelly. "Why did she choose you?" Rufus asked abruptly.  
  
Seifer debated over the question for a moment. He knew what Rufus meant. In the brief space of time Sephiroth had tried to enter his mind he'd heard some of Sephiroth's thoughts. He understood now who Jenova was and more importantly, who Sephiroth was.  
  
/Just like me./  
  
/He needed a purpose, and she gave it to him./  
  
"I.." He wanted to tell Rufus. He frowned at that knowledge. /I hardly know him. Why do I want to talk to him about things I never even mentioned to people I -do- know?/  
  
"I don't know." He said finally.  
  
He could tell by the look on Rufus' face that the blond soldier didn't believe him. But it didn't matter. Rufus wouldn't push the subject.   
  
"It was close." Rufus said quietly as he walked further into the room.  
  
Seifer just nodded. He watched warily as Rufus walked to the cot and kneeled beside it. It was only then that he realized he was lying on Rufus' cot... and he didn't appear to be wearing boots or his jacket. He was now eye level with Rufus and he found that he couldn't meet that intense blue gaze.  
  
"Did I see Ifrit out there? Who summoned him?" Seifer asked when it seemed Rufus was not going to speak.  
  
"We don't know. He just... appeared." Rufus spoke quietly, his eyes fixed on Seifer's face. "Seifer..."  
  
Seifer looked at Rufus, surprised to see longing in those glowing eyes.   
  
"I've never cared about anyone before." Rufus said quietly. Suddenly he leaned down and Seifer could only gasp as he was kissed.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
15.4  
  
  
  
/She kissed me./ Selphie pressed her fingers against her lips. She could hardly breathe. With a strangled cry of pure joy she started to run to where she'd left Irvine.  
  
Her happiness quickly abated when she saw Irvine slumped on the floor. Her steps slowed and she approached cautiously. "Irvine?"  
  
He stiffened at her voice. For a moment he just sat there. Then his head lifted and a fake smile was plastered on his face. "Hey kiddo." His voice was rough.  
  
"Irvine?" She rushed to his side and kneeled beside him. Anxiously she placed a hand on his shoulder. "What is it? What's wrong?"  
  
He shook his head, the smile faltering, "Nothing."  
  
"Irvine." She pressed one hand against his cheek. She gasped at how warm he was.  
  
"You asked me who I was in love with..." He said softly.  
  
She nodded. She didn't dare speak. She didn't want to interrupt him.  
  
"And I said no one...."  
  
She nodded again, giving him time to say what he needed to say.  
  
"Because no one is in love with someone else..."  
  
She sighed. "OH Irvine. I know just how you feel! ... Or I did.."  
  
His eyes finally showed some life at this comment. "Did? You talked to her?"  
  
"Yes." She smiled widely, "It was so wonderful... Irvy... she.. I think she's going to give me a chance."  
  
This time he smiled, for real. "That's great kiddo."  
  
He sat down fully and opened his arms. Without a moments hesitation she flew into his embrace, pressing her cheek against his chest. His arms wrapped around her and she sighed. He always made her feel safe. She trusted him more than anyone in the world and she loved him like a brother. He was hers, and he was hurting. She could 'feel' it.  
  
"This love thing..." Irvine murmured into her hair, "Is a real pain in the ass."  
  
She couldn't help it.  
  
She started to laugh.  
  
But she didn't feel too guilty because he was laughing too.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
15.5  
  
  
  
"So... what does this mean?" Reno played with his gun, refusing to raise his gaze and meet Tseng's eyes.  
  
Tseng took the gun from Reno and put it aside. He sat beside Reno by the fire and for a moment they just sat together, staring into the flames of the fire. Reno jerked in surprise when Tseng's arm snaked around his waist. He turned his head just in time to see Tseng's face moving closer.  
  
And then he was being thoroughly kissed.  
  
When Tseng finally pulled away Reno was incapable of thought, let alone speech. Tseng couldn't help but smile at the shocked expression on the outspoken man's face. "It means, that I love you Vegas."  
  
Reno gasped, his eyes widening at Tseng's confident revelation. "You do?"  
  
"And it means that I'm going to-" Tseng leaned close and whispered the rest in Reno's ear.  
  
He enjoyed watching Reno's cheeks turn pink. He enjoyed the mischevious smile that tilted Reno's cheek after his little suggestion even more. "Oh really?" Reno purred, leaning close to nip at Tseng's bottom lip, "I think we'll have to see about that one Sing sing."  
  
Tseng curled up his lip and playfully snarled, "Don't -call- me that."   
  
Reno just smiled as he captured Tseng's lips in a kiss.  
  
  
  
********************** 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Notes: Sorry kiddos. This fic doesn't get past kissing. ~_^* Shonen-ai is my specialty. Major mood changes in this one. . But I can't seem to be consistent with character moods. Because I write in segments and -my- mood changes each time I write so therefore, they do too.. Ah well. Hope it's not -too- inconsistent or irritating.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Sixteen - Time Has Come=  
  
  
16.1  
  
  
  
"Look alive people!"  
  
The morning sun was brilliant, and Irvine had to raise an arm to cover his eyes. He hated mornings. /God Zell... why'd you have to come out here so goddamn early./ He grumbled silently, rubbing his eyes then dropping his hands and squinting at Zell.  
  
Zell held Seifer's gunblade over his head, his eyes briefly skimming over his friends. Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, Rinoa and Squall were all present. Rinoa was still rather weak so she had to lean heavily on Squall to stay standing. In the whole group the only people who looked awake were Zell and Squall. But Squall never seemed to sleep, or at least that's the impression Zell got.  
  
"Observe," Zell turned the gunblade in his hand, "I have junctioned Ifrit properly to his gunblade."  
  
"You are not summoning him again Dincht." Irvine growled.  
  
"Again?" Quistis cried. Rinoa and Selphie gasped, looking to Irvine.  
  
"I attempted to summon Ifrit last night, without him being junctioned to Seifer's gunblade. Today I shall attempt this again, only this time..." Zell lowered the gunblade, "Ifrit is junctioned."  
  
"Listen Zell, you are -not- doing this." Quistis snapped, stepping towards the blond fighter.  
  
"This is the only way Quisty. Just you wait." Zell kneeled and put the gunblade against the ground. "This is where we found the gunblade." He looked up.  
  
"Here we go."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.2  
  
  
  
Rufus pulled away, his cheeks flushing. "I'm sorry." He whispered, standing. "I shouldn't have..."  
  
Seifer could only stare at Rufus. His fingers lifted and pressed against his lips. /He just kissed me./ He thought, shock making him feel stiff. "Why did you...?"  
  
"I think..." Rufus sighed and placed his hands on his hips, "Look.. I.. I think I may have.. fallen in love with you Almasy."  
  
"What?" Seifer's eyes widened. He lifted his head and stared at Rufus' face intently. /How can... you can't fall in love that quickly?/  
  
Rufus smiled wryly, "Yeah.. I know. How could I possibly fall in love so quickly? I don't know.. I just don't know... but I -have- fallen in love with you."  
  
Seifer sat up, sliding his legs off the side of the bed. Rufus watched him warily as he got to his feet. /Not so far-fetched. I did the same thing with Squall.../ Seifer stepped close. He raised his hands and placed them on either side of Rufus' face. /I think... with time../ Hesitantly he leaned close. /I could learn.../  
  
He pressed his lips against Rufus' in a shy kiss.  
  
/to love him too./  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.3  
  
  
  
"Reno?"  
  
/In the morning this will all be gone.. won't it?/  
  
"Hey, Vegas, are you all right?"  
  
/He'll go back to treating me like he treats everyone else. Oh yes, but when it gets dark he'll treat me like a lover.../  
  
Reno turned his gaze to Tseng's worried face. /Moonlight lovers...nothing more./  
  
"Reno?" Tseng repeated quietly.  
  
/Not good enough. That's just not good enough./ Reno brushed Tseng's hand away from his arm and got to his feet. He pulled a cigarette out from his pocket and placed it between his lips. He never lit it. He glanced down at Tseng, who was frowning at him.   
  
"What happens in the morning?" Reno asked abruptly.  
  
Tseng quirked his eyebrow, surprised at the question. "In the morning?"  
  
"Do you love me enough?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Reno closed his eyes with a little sigh. "Do you love me enough to still be there in the morning?"  
  
Suddenly warm arms were wrapping around him. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to meet Tseng's gaze. "I don't know what treatment you're used to," Tseng said quietly, "But when I love someone... I don't do so lightly, or with the intention of leaving. Ever."  
  
/They always leave.... don't they?/  
  
/Why am I so afraid?/  
  
When Tseng's lips pressed lightly against his own he realized why he was suddenly so unsure.  
  
/I love him too.../  
  
And it was scarier than hell.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.4  
  
  
  
/Ifrit.../  
  
The intense heat spread across the land the moment he mentally called Ifrit's name. He stepped away from the gunblade, towards his friends. He glanced at them, smiling tentatively. They were staring at the gunblade.  
  
He looked back...  
  
The gunblade was glowing.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.5  
  
  
  
Seifer gasped in pain as the heat suddenly gripped his head. He stumbled away from Rufus, his knees giving out. He fell to the floor, clutching his head and panting in pain. "Seifer!" Rufus dropped to his knees beside Seifer. He reached out to touch Seifer's shoulder.  
  
Seifer cried out in pain as Rufus' fingers touched his shoulder. He jerked away.  
  
"What's happening?" Rufus asked anxiously. "What's wr-"  
  
His words cut short as Seifer began to glow. He could only stare in horror as... flames? .. appeared around Seifer's body.  
  
"Seifer..." He gasped.  
  
"Rufus!"  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.6  
  
  
  
"What's happening?" Rinoa whispered as the gunblade seemed to burst into flame.  
  
"I don't know." Zell responded, stepping back and bumping into Irvine. He turned, meeting Irvine's gaze.  
  
What he saw in those eyes made his heart stop.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.7  
  
  
  
/NO! I don't want to leave.../ Seifer fought against the sensation that was spreading over his body. He was burning from the inside out and he understood why. Ifrit was taking him back.  
  
/NO! Leave me here! I WANT TO STAY WITH HIM!/  
  
"RUFUS!" He reached out.  
  
Rufus grabbed his hand, wincing at the heat radiating from Seifer's skin. "Seifer.. TSENG! RENO! RUDE! GET IN HERE!" He screamed, his eyes growing wide as Seifer's body began to... fade?  
  
"Rufus... Rufus..." Seifer panted, trying desperately to hang on to -this- existance. /I don't want to go back./ He begged silently, /I could be happy here.../  
  
He could feel himself fading. Ifrit was taking him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His eyes met Rufus' worried blue gaze. "I love you.. too.." He gasped, gripping Rufus' hand tightly.  
  
"Don't you leave me." Rufus gasped. He didn't know how he knew, but something was taking Seifer away. "Don't you dare leave me!" He screamed, pulling on Seifer's hand.  
  
"Fate...." Seifer closed his eyes, arching his back in pain.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.8  
  
  
  
Something was taking form over the gunblade. "Is that..." Selphie gasped. Zell whirled around, his eyes fixing on the gunblade.  
  
"Seifer." He gasped, recognizing the shape of his friend immediately.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
16.9  
  
  
  
"Fate brought us together.." His words were so soft Rufus had a difficult time hearing them. Seifer opened his eyes and smiled at Rufus. "Fate... fate has seen fit to take us apart." He squeezed Rufus' hand one last time, and then he relaxed and let Ifrit take him.  
  
"NO!" Rufus cried as Seifer's body faded. "NO!"  
  
  
  
*********************** 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Seventeen - Crystal Tears=  
  
  
17.1  
  
  
  
In that space between dreams and awareness... that's where he saw him. Bathed in a sea of fire, his golden hair shining red from the flames. /I've had this dream before./ He thought, but this time it was different.  
  
This time he knew who the man in his dream was. 'Rufus'. He called in his dream. Rufus met his gaze and smiled. A gentle, loving smile. A smile that twisted his heart. This was the way he'd always wanted to be looked at. All his life he just wanted someone to love him... For as long as he could remember he wanted Squall to love him as much as he loved Squall.  
  
But Squall never would and Rufus did.   
  
/Please... please let me stay here.../  
  
He begged.  
  
But fate has never been known to be kind. Just when he reached out to touch the blond angel.. the one he -knew- loved him, the world fell apart.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.2  
  
  
  
"Irvine?" Zell whispered, gazing up into Irvine's eyes. He was unaware of everyone else, his entire being was focused only on Irvine.  
  
"He's back Zell...." Irvine said softly, his hands drifting up to gently clasp Zell's arms. "Are you glad?"  
  
"Who...?" Zell blinked hard, trying to sort through his muddled thoughts. He glanced behind him just in time to see Seifer fully materialize on the ground several feet away. "Irvine..."  
  
"Go to him. See if he's all right." Irvine pushed Zell away, ever so gently.  
  
Zell met his gaze. /I saw it... I know I saw it... but now... now there's nothing. Did I just imagine it?/ He blinked. One moment there had been such longing and love in Irvine's eyes and now... now all he could see was a guarded friendship.  
  
"Irvine I.."  
  
"Go on. Go to him." Irvine repeated.  
  
After searching Irvine's gaze, Zell nodded and slowly turned away. He didn't see the way Irvine's jaw hardened as he walked towards Seifer. He didn't see the longing and hurt in those green eyes. He didn't see, so he didn't understand.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.3  
  
  
  
"Rufus?"  
  
Tseng waved Rude and Reno out of the tent. Rude left immediately, but Reno lingered. Tseng approached Rufus cautiously. The boy was sitting on the floor in the center of the tent. He was clutching his hands to his chest. His shoulders were shaking but Tseng couldn't tell if he was crying since his head was bent.  
  
"Why?" Rufus whispered, his voice barely audible.  
  
Tseng knelt beside Rufus, gently placing a hand on the boy's arm. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Why did I have to fall in love Tseng?" Rufus looked up then. His eyes were red and it looked as if it was taking every bit of his strength not to cry.  
  
"Shit happens."   
  
Tseng and Rufus turned to look at Reno, who, despite his breezy words was looking quite serious. "Yeah." Rufus bent his head again, "Shit happens."  
  
Reno walked across the room and knelt on Rufus' other side. He wrapped his arm around the boy's shaking shoulders and just held him.   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.4  
  
  
  
The first thing Seifer saw when he opened his eyes, was Rinoa's smiling face. She had one hand on his back, the other on his cheek. "Seifer!" She cried when his eyes opened, "You're okay!"  
  
He groaned and shut his eyes quickly. /Oh god... I'm here again.../  
  
Rinoa was hugging him, pulling him into a sitting position. All he could feel was pain and disappointment. /He loved me.... finally... -finally- someone loves me... and what happens? I get taken away./  
  
He opened his eyes again. This time he could see that he was surrounded by familiar faces. Quistis. Zell. Squall. Selphie. They were all there. He looked at them all, and he didn't feel the least bit glad to see them. /I don't want to be here... Rufus../  
  
"Don't touch me." He said harshly, pushing Rinoa away.  
  
Her gaze widened, but she dropped her hands and sat back. His legs felt weak, but he managed to get to his feet without stumbling or making a fool of himself. He didn't stop to wonder what they were doing there, he didn't stop to wonder why, he just pushed his way past them and started walking.  
  
"Seifer!"  
  
He ignored the voice crying out his name and just kept walking.  
  
/Why... Why did I have to leave?/  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.5  
  
  
  
Irvine watched Seifer storm off. He glanced at Zell, but the blond hadn't moved. /You really do love him... don't you Zell?/ Irvine reached into his pocket for a cigarette. /I think I'll go drown myself... yeah. That sounds good./  
  
He turned and walked away, never once looking back.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.6  
  
  
  
/Irvine... why did he look at me like that?/   
  
"Someone has to go after him." Selphie said softly, her eyes on Seifer's retreating back.  
  
/No one has ever looked at me like that before./  
  
"I will." Squall said quietly. He bent and picked up Seifer's gunblade, then he pushed his way past his friends and started to calmly walk after Seifer.  
  
/Was he just worried? Or excited because Seifer was coming back?/  
  
"Does he know?" Quistis asked Rinoa quietly.  
  
/No.... NO! That was love... I know that was love!/ Zell got to his feet. "Dammit Irvine... why didn't you tell me?"   
  
Rinoa and Quistis looked at him as if he was nuts. Selphie just smiled secretively. Zell whirled and ran off towards the Garden, where he knew Irvine would be.  
  
"What was that all about?" Quistis wondered aloud.  
  
"Hormones." Selphie giggled.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
17.7  
  
  
  
"Is he all right?"   
  
Tseng nodded and reached out to brush a lock of hair away from Rufus' face, "He's asleep."  
  
"Hm. Help me get him on the cot."  
  
Together they lay Rufus on the cot. Reno knelt beside the cot, his hand on Rufus' slowly rising and falling chest. "Where do you think Almasy is?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Gone I imagine. Judging from Rufus' response." Tseng touched Reno's shoulder, "C'mon, let's leave him alone."  
  
Reno nodded, getting to his feet. He didn't move however, he just looked down at Rufus' still face, "I always liked the kid."  
  
Tseng nodded and took Reno's hand in his own, "I know."  
  
  
  
***********************  



	18. Chapter Eighteen

~Don't Make Him Cry~  
(Kitty's fic)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF8, FF7 or any of the characters in this fic... except Mr. Spider. ^-^  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
=Chapter Eighteen - Alone; Dealing with Broken Dreams=  
  
  
18.1  
  
  
  
"Why are you still here?" Rufus asked shortly as he stepped out of his tent.   
  
Valentine shrugged, studying Rufus' red eyes with a narrowed gaze. "I'm bored of coffins." He responded quietly.  
  
"Hm." Rufus tugged on a pair of pure white gloves. Valentine raised an eyebrow at the white outfit Rufus was wearing.  
  
It was completely inappropriate for a soldier, but it -did- look good. Especially on someone who had a figure like Rufus. Rufus stilled, feeling Valentine's eyes on him. He looked up slowly, meeting that blood-red, unflinching stare. "I'm not going back to Avalanche, Valentine." Rufus waved his hand carelessly, "Go with the Turks."  
  
"We're not going back either." Tseng said quietly, stepping up to the tent. Reno, Elena and Rude flanking him.  
  
Rufus glanced at them, his eyes narrowing. "What?" He growled.  
  
"We were getting bored." Reno smirked. He slouched forward, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He wore, instead of the uniform he'd been wearing before, a dark, navy blue suit. With a fancy white shirt underneath that was hopelessly disarranged. Part of it hanging out, other parts tucked in. He was the picture of ... *cough* grace.  
  
The others, Tseng, Rude and Elena were wearing similar outfits, only their's were tidier in appearance. "That's right." Elena smiled, standing with her hands clasped behind her back and her feet slightly spread, "Far be it for us to let -you- have all the fun."  
  
"Hm... too much fun might kill him." Reno chuckled.  
  
Rufus sucked in his breath, a strange pain gripping his heart. He tried to hide the pain from his face, but one pair of astute red eyes took note. "All right..." Rufus said gruffly, "Let's go."  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.2  
  
  
  
"Seifer?" Squall's voice was gruff, though he didn't intend it to be.  
  
Seifer stiffened, but he didn't turn. "What do you want Squall?" he snarled.  
  
Squall flinched, and stepped closer. "Why didn't you tell me?" He wanted to say; How are you? but the thing that bothered him the most came out first.  
  
"You didn't care. You still don't care." Seifer's shoulders arched.  
  
"I -do- care!" Squall growled, grabbing Seifer by the arm and turning him so he could look into Seifer's eyes. Hard, cold eyes. Eyes that.. eyes that didn't hold love for anything anymore.  
  
"Good, because I don't anymore." Seifer slapped Squall's hand away from his arm and walked away.  
  
Squall could only stare at Seifer's retreating back. He didn't know what to think and most importantly, he didn't know -how- to feel.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.3  
  
  
  
"IRVINE!"  
  
Irvine had just enough time to whirl around before a blond whirlwind slammed into his chest. He let his breath out with a soft gasp and suddenly found himself lying flat on his back on the ground with a pair of hot lips pressed against his own.  
  
He couldn't breathe.  
  
He couldn't think.  
  
He couldn't react.  
  
Zell lifted his head, panting softly. "I -like- Seifer, as a friend. I love him as a friend to. But I -like- you, and I -love- you as a hot sex toy." He grinned impishly.  
  
Irvine could only gape. The pressure in his pants let him know that Zell's words turned him on more than anything ever had, but he couldn't speak. He could brealy draw breath into his tortured lungs. "L-love?" he finally managed to stutter.  
  
"Love. With all my heart, soul and..." Zell arched his hips, pressing a strangely bulging member of his body against Irvine's leg. His smile grew even wider at Irvine's soft groan.  
  
"But how? You... you never..."  
  
"said anything? Neither did you, you idiot." Zell growled, "How was I supposed to know this entire friggin garden is gay?"  
  
Irvine's eyes widened, he opened his mouth to speak but Zell was kissing him again, and he didn't feel the need to speak again for several hours.  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.4  
  
  
  
/So this is how it ends./ Rufus placed the butt of his rifle against his hip, so the barrel pointed towards the sky. He stared out over the valley, so close to the edge of the cliff that the toes of his boots hung in the air.  
  
He felt a quiet, dark presence step up to his other side. He glanced at Valentine, a question in his eyes. /Why are you here?/  
  
Almost as if he heard Rufus' thought, Valentine began to speak. "Jenova won't stop here." He commented quietly, "She'll continue to fight for Sephiroth's freedom into our realm."  
  
"And Sephiroth?"  
  
Valentine's eyes flashed with agony so deep Rufus almost felt it within himself. "This was never -his- will. She controls him Shinra. Just as.. power controlled you."  
  
Rufus looked away, gazing out at the valley again. "We'll stop her."  
  
"We will... but where will that leave you? You'll hunt her for years... maybe when you're old and gray you'll finally find her. And kill her. But you'll be alone. And there will be no one to go home to."  
  
"Why do you care?" Rufus snarled.  
  
"Because I hunted my own demons. I still do." Valentine said softly.  
  
"You're alone?"  
  
"I am who you will be, if you choose this life."  
  
"What else is there?" Rufus snapped.  
  
Valentine was quiet for a long while. He turned away, his back straight and proud, "Look for the one who you love Rufus. Look for that one. -That- is a way to live our lives. Love is what we were made for..."  
  
"I can't look for him.." Rufus said shortly, closing his eyes.  
  
"Then look for..." Valentine's voice trailed off.  
  
Rufus looked at him sharply. Valentine turned his eyes and their gazes met.   
  
There was a wealth of feeling in Valentine's eyes that Rufus couldn't even begin to understand. He looked away quickly, unable and unwilling to deal with that right now. "I will go the path that is before me. Jenova must be destroyed. For good. Who better to hunt her, then the one with no soul." Rufus lowered his rifle, clutching it so hard his knuckles turned white.  
  
/I remember a time when I thought the same thing of Hojo./ Valentine thought sadly eyeing the young man, /He doesn't realize how hard it is -to- be alone./  
  
"If I end up alone... it doesn't matter. I will end up alone anyway."  
  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.6  
  
  
  
"Quistis?" Selphie whispered as she felt Quistis' hand grab her own.  
  
"Yes Phiphi?"  
  
/Fee-fee?/ Selphie blinked at Quistis, unable to comprehend her new nickname. She shook her head, /I'll talk to her about -that- later./ "Do you think they'll be happy?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Irvine and Zell?"  
  
"Yes." Quistis smiled, tugging on Selphie's hand to pull the smaller girl close. "Zell has loved Irvine for as long as I can remember. He's just always been too afraid to say it. And Irvine... well... Irvine has never been in love, because when he -does- love, it'll be fiercely. Intently. A love that never wavers and -never- dies."  
  
"Do you think Irvine loves Zell?" Selphie asked softly.  
  
"Yes. With every fiber of his being." Quistis responded without a moment's hesitation.  
  
"And Seifer?"  
  
"Squall, Rinoa... it's such a twisted mess. No matter what happens there, someone is going to get hurt." Quistis sighed a little.  
  
"Do you think Squall loves Seifer?"  
  
"I don't think Squall knows what love is Phiphi... He's always felt Rinoa was superficial. As if her feelings ran only skin deep. But.. with Seifer.. he doesn't know what to do, because there can be no doubt that what Seifer feels is real."  
  
"Have you ever thought about how odd our friends are?" Selphie asked with a giggle.  
  
"No..." Quistis wrapped an arm around Selphie, she laughed lightly, "No. How could I? I'm certain there are others more messed up then we."  
  
"Not me! I'm normal as normal can get!"  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
The two laughed together and then walked away. "Let's just walk for awhile Quisty. I love the smell of fresh rain."  
  
Quistis merely nodded, her arm still locked around Selphie's waist.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.7  
  
  
  
She smiled at him when he finally gathered the courage to see her. She smiled and held out her hand. He wanted to hate her. But he didn't. Instead he reached out and took her hand. She squeezed, a gentle smile tilting her lips.   
  
"Did you speak to him?"  
  
"What do you want?" He growled.  
  
She continued to smile, unfazed by his dark mood. "Did you speak to him?"  
  
He was quiet for a long time. But she waited patiently and the silence wrung an answer out of him faster then interrogation would have. "No."  
  
She sighed, "You have to speak to him... you can't put it off forever."  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore."  
  
"What do you mean?" She frowned at the desolate tone in his voice.   
  
"It's over Rinoa." He pulled his hand away from her and walked across the room to the window. "It's over." He repeated in a whisper.  
  
His back was turned to her, so she didn't see the lone tear that found it's way down his cheek.   
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
18.8  
  
  
  
A single white rose. It felt like silk in his fingers. He stood at the railing, staring down at the ocean. Beautiful, and yet simple. A powerful force of nature that could kill so easily... like love. He held the rose bud over the railing, cradled it in his palm and stared at it.  
  
/Rufus.../  
  
/Thank you./  
  
He turned his hand and watched as the bud flew through the air, straight down to the water. It landed with a tiny splash, floated for a moment, then began to sink. He watched, until he could see it no more.  
  
He gripped the railing with both hands and bent over at the stomach as pain clenched his insides. In the space of a few hours he'd lost the one thing he'd always wanted; someone to love him, and the one thing he'd always loved; Squall. The emotional pain was tearing him apart. He didn't know what to do with it. He could only let it eat at him as he remembered the sound of Rufus' voice. 'I love you'.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut.  
  
"I could have loved you too... so easily." He trembled as the tears burned at the back of his eyes. He wouldn't cry though. He refused to finalize things with tears.   
  
There was still hope.  
  
He -had- to believe there was hope.  
  
He slid to his knees and wrapped his arms around his waist.  
  
"Will I ever see you again?" he whispered to the air.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
-The End- 


End file.
